Of Pocky and Pepero
by sunnykong1210
Summary: A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC
1. Mornings

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 1: **Every Morning

* * *

Soo-Jin dreaded getting up in the morning. That meant that she would have to drag herself to get ready for school—the place where she dreaded even more—and have yet another awkward breakfast with her host family members.

Every morning, she would clasp her hands together and murmur in Korean, "Please, let my evil mother repent for her evil ways and allow me to come back home out of how much kindness there is existing in her black, black heart." And then she would roll off of her futon, once again meeting the cold wooden floorboards.

Every morning, after putting her school uniform on, she would come downstairs and respond to her host mother's "Good morning, Won-san. How did you sleep?" Her reply would be laconic, and she would sit down and wait for the youngest son to come down. Already sitting at the table would be the eldest sister, as always.

"Takeru, you need to wake up earlier," the host mother would occasionally chide to her fifteen-year-old son. "You always keep your sister and Won-san waiting for you." Takeru, a third year in middle school, was a tall gangly boy who wore his uniform in a ruffled kind of way. He would cast Soo-Jin an odd look that would last for three seconds before seating himself and eat breakfast, as usual.

Every morning, they would either have miso soup with rice or fish with rice. Though it may be a bit stereotypical, but Soo-Jin missed having kimchi served at the table. Of course, she couldn't impose and request as such—that would be simply rude towards the kind and gentle woman. Besides, the Fujiokas probably would mind the sharp smell of spicy pickled cabbage.

Breakfast was always a silent affair—a suffocating one, at that. Soo-Jin wondered if this was common even before her presence.

When breakfast was finished, the dishes would be cleared. Kyoko, a college student with short bouncy hair, would assist her mother in washing the plates while Soo-Jin and Takeru would prepare to leave for school. Soo-Jin would fetch her schoolbag and adjust her thick-framed glasses, and Takeru would look like his usual disgruntled self and sling his schoolbag over his shoulder.

Every morning, the mother would bid them farewell. Soo-Jin would leave the house with Takeru, and the two would walk together in silence until they're nearing Takeru's school.

Every morning, Takeru would give her a glance and murmur, "Later."

Every morning, Soo-Jin would sigh and tread across the concrete, not caring that she was wearing down the soles of her sneakers.

Every morning, she would feel eyes fall on her every time she approached the shoe lockers. It was fine since she was used to it. She wondered if being Korean really did make her stand out within this Japanese community.

Every morning, she would go to class and sink into her seat.

Every morning, she would turn her head to the left ad catch Murasakibara mindlessly eating his snacks.

Every morning, she would think to herself, "What a weirdo."

And every morning, the teacher would come in and start today's lesson, thus initiating the same routine all over again.

Life sucked.


	2. Japan

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 2: **Japan

**NOTE:** Chapter 1 and 2 are basically the introduction to the story. Chapter 3 is where the story really takes place.

* * *

It all started with a flier from school. Back in South Korea, that is.

Soo-Jin lived only with her mother. Where or who her father was, she didn't know. Her mother told her vague details about him, information that didn't always match. A wound that could never be amended, Soo-Jin assumed. From what she did know was that he left her and her mother when she was young, probably around five-years-old.

Her mother worked as a nurse full-time, and Soo-Jin was always either at school or in the library studying (napping). Needless to say, the two were hardly ever at home. But whenever they were, they would always end up bickering. They never did have a full-blown argument, though, just go back and forth about trivial things.

Life wasn't exactly hard or easy—it just was. The Won family did encounter a couple bumps here and there, but they always overcame such trials. But what made life a bit trickier than what Soo-Jin would have preferred goes back to the flier from school.

Now, the middle school that Soo-Jin attended to taught two different languages—English and Japanese. Soo-Jin, thinking that Japanese would be similar to Korean, took Japanese courses instead of the usual English ones. Turns out, it wasn't as simple as she thought it would be.

The grammar teacher was the one teaching the courses, which made Soo-Jin's knees buckle in fear after taking her class for second period. The woman was a Spartan, always making her students overwork themselves. And if grammar class was bad enough, having her teach Japanese when there were only six of them was… Well, you get the idea.

It happened in Soo-Jin's third year in middle school. Apparently, there was a program for students taking Japanese could experience "an enlightening and exciting adventure overseas!" to Japan, according to what the flier taped at the Wons' door said in bold, enthusiastic words. These fliers were sent throughout the entire district, and Soo-Jin would find herself to be among the very minority to participate in the future.

The sheer look of horror on Soo-Jin's face manifested when she saw a blooming smile on her mother's. "This sounds like a good idea, Soo-Jin!" the woman exclaimed. "You should do it."

Soo-Jin used her quick thinking to try to abort such a ludicrous idea. "But Mom! Japan is the land of those monsters who enslaved us Koreans for how-long-I-don't-know, but yeah!" she exclaimed, remembering those old timers who would smoke outside in the neighborhood and reminisce the oppression of World War II and grumble invectives against the Japanese. Soo-Jin always thought that those men should get a life and move on, but never mind her current hypocrisy.

"Don't be silly. What is in the past is in the past," her mother dismissed. "The Japanese now weren't responsible for putting Koreans in concentration camps and forcing children to go starve on the streets."

Okay, her plan basically backfired on her, or that she was severely lacking the creativity compartment in developing excuses. Soo-Jin chewed on her lower lip. "Err, I don't know… I don't think I would be qualified for it, Mom."

"Nonsense! You've studied three years of Japanese under the tutelage of your school's finest teachers. And besides, it's a great opportunity to go out and see the world."

"Mom, the only place I'm ever going to see is Japan, which isn't much."

The woman narrowed her eyes. "Oho, are you trying to get out of this? Soo-Jin, I think this would be a really good chance for you to go out and expand your knowledge. Think about it—do you know how often girls like you get a chance like this? None!"

Perhaps it was because the very idea wasn't appealing enough to produce more "great" opportunities.

It was funny how some adults were hung up on the Japanese invading Korea even though it was dated way back in the 1900s. Well, whatever. Her mother was right about how the past is in the past, but that just gave her less of a reason why she shouldn't go.

Soo-Jin wasn't exactly charmed by the notion of studying overseas for a variable of reasons. The major reason was because she would be far from home, and who would want that?

Still, when her mother makes up her mind, she makes up her mind. It was decided that Soo-Jin would go to Japan for high school.


	3. Murasakibara

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 3: **Murasakibara

**NOTES:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech

* * *

A month went by and Soo-Jin was already homesick.

The school that she was attending to, Yosen High, was terrible. Everywhere she went, there were freakishly tall and buffed boys lumbering around. Was this even natural for Japan? Never had she felt so puny (and intimidated) in her life. She especially felt dwarfed when sitting next to her desk neighbor, Murasakibara.

Now, Murasakibara sure was _something_. They hadn't exchanged a single word yet Soo-Jin found herself knowing him pretty well. One thing was obvious was that he loved to eat junk food. He would eat it for lunch, before class would start, during break, and even sneak in a few mouthfuls when the teacher's lecturing.

He was also incredibly unmotivated. Whenever the teacher would call on him to answer a question, Murasakibara wouldn't even bother trying, just delivering his own random response that would elicit a sigh from the teacher as he would call on someone else. Soo-Jin wasn't sure if the boy was academically stupid or not.

He spoke in a slow, lazy drawl, and his eyes always looked droopy as though he was perpetually tired. It was probably from the lack of nutrients from the piles of packaged crap he consumed on a daily basis. Strangely, though, he was quite fit, not an ounce of fat noticeable on his body. From what Soo-Jin gathered, he was a regular on the basketball team.

Every morning, she would enter class and find the tall boy already in his seat, eating his snacks like a mindless robot. "Weirdo," Soo-Jin would think to herself before setting her schoolbag down and pulling out her chair.

* * *

How Murasakibara and Soo-Jin spoke for the first time began something like this.

It was after school and Soo-Jin, along with some other classmates, had cleanup duty. Today, she was in charge of taking out the trash, which was probably given to her since no one wanted to do it. Were her classmates taking advantage of her? Why yes, they were.

It was believed that she had complications with translating the language because she was always quiet in class, but that wasn't the case. Her comprehension of Japanese wasn't exactly limited (thanks to her Spartan teacher from the fiery pits of hell) despite her poor retention. Additionally, she did well when it came to writing and reading Japanese characters.

She was actually being a…pushover. Funny how back in South Korea, Soo-Jin would bluntly say yes or no, but somehow her confidence dwindled when coming here. This was one of the reasons why she hated coming to Japan—foreign places, _ugh_.

Soo-Jin held the trash bin in her arms and carried it outside, walking behind the school building and to the dumpster. After emptying the bin, she went back inside, only to find that all the students had seemingly vanished.

Well, all except for one. Murasakibara was sprawled across his desk, snoozing.

"_He wasn't there before_," Soo-Jin muttered to herself. She looked around, finding that nobody was really in here. Had everyone already finished his or her duties so quickly? Skeptical, Soo-Jin inspected the place, and found that the tasks were done either hastily or incompletely.

Her classmates must have been eagerly expecting something if they produced a poorly cleaned room. The girl sighed in resignation, accepting her fate in finishing the room, and gave a brief glance over to where Murasakibara was.

Why on earth was he here?

Well, it didn't matter. What mattered was to complete the unfinished duties and then go home—home, as in, her foster family's home, not really hers. Sheesh, this was getting annoying.

Surprisingly, it only took her twenty minutes, from dusting the erasers to sweeping the floor. She patted her hands on her skirt, as if to pat away imaginary dust off of herself. Murasakibara was still sleeping…and he has progressed to a nasally snore.

"_Good night, weirdo_," she muttered. Soo-Jin threw her schoolbag over her shoulder and was about to turn to leave when her eyes landed on a felt-pen. An innocent-looking felt-pen just sitting by the corner, just waiting to be picked up. By who? By her.

"_No, I shouldn't_."

But the temptation was far too great!

Soo-Jin plucked the pen off the floor and approached the deeply sleeping Murasakibara. She uncapped the pen and positioned its point a centimeter above his cheek. But then suddenly, her whole hand wavered and shook. She was feeling conflicted whether or not she should be doing this to her fellow classmate…

Ah, whatever.

Of course, the boy wouldn't notice the feel of the pen on his skin in the duration of his slumber—Soo-Jin practiced many times on her mother and a former classmate she particularly disliked. She was practically a pro when it came to face-drawing discreetly!

And face-drawing she must!

* * *

When Murasakibara woke up and went to practice that day, his teammates laughed at him long and hard. Least to say, Murasakibara was certainly unpleased to find what happened to his face when he entered the boys' bathroom, observing himself in the mirror.

* * *

The next day, when break came around, Soo-Jin was about to get up to go take a walk (because sitting in the same seat for hours while listening to the teacher lecture can make you sleepy) when something clasped tightly on top of her head.

"Eomeona(1)!" Soo-Jin yelped. She tried to pull away, but the hand was pretty much holding her in place.

"Ara…" She flinched when she felt those strong fingers grind into her noggin. Murasakibara forced her to turn around to face him, and Soo-Jin found herself staring skyward to meet the eyes of a giant. "Ah, you," he said, and then paused. After a moment of silence, he tilted his head and murmured, "Who are you again?"

"…"

He continued to stare down at her.

"Eomma(2)!" Soo-Jin whimpered.

Murasakibara blinked slowly. "No, I think your name was more like Sou-Jan."

"No… Soo-Jin…"

"Okay."

Silence.

"Yesterday," he began in that typical drawl of his, "did you draw on my face?"

"Aah… N-No…"

"Everyone who had to do cleanup duty was about to leave the room just around the time I entered it, and you weren't one of those people." If possible, the corner of his lips made a deeper downward contour. "I'm not stupid."

"_I wish you were_," she muttered.

He paused. "Thank you," he said, giving a curt bow.

"…Ah?"

"I don't know what you really said," he said, lazily scratching his head, "but I'm assuming you apologized." With that said, the boy released his grip on Soo-Jin's head and reached into his schoolbag to grab a bag of potato chips. "Please don't draw on me again."

"…Babo(3)."

"Thank you."

"…"

* * *

(1): Oh my gosh!

(2): Mommy

(3): Stupid


	4. Pepero

**Of Pocky and Pepero**

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 4: **Pepero

**NOTES:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech.

* * *

"Won-san, you have mail sent all the way from South Korea," said the host mother.

Soo-Jin looked up from her studies and nodded. "Ah, thank you."

Takeru, who was sitting at the kitchen table with her, lifted his gaze with interest as his mother placed a box before Soo-Jin. The girl worked her way through the binding tape, and then opened the flaps, revealing a whole stash of snacks.

"Oh," her host mother said, peering into the box. "Cookies."

Soo-Jin sifted through the food, and was sorely disappointed to find nothing else. Except a letter, but it was addressed to her host mother, probably a "Thank you for taking in my ungrateful daughter! If she's any trouble, send her back so I'll give her a whoopin' of a lifetime!"

Typical of her mom to not leave her anything worthwhile.

"What's this?" Takeru held up a red box of biscuit cookies. "They look like Pocky."

Soo-Jin, who had tried Pocky in the duration of her stay, nodded. "It is like Pocky, but called Pepero."

"Pepero," Takeru tested the name. "So, it taste like Pocky?"

"Yes. Different kinds too." She pulled out a Pepero box in green. "This one has nuts." And then one in white. "This one has chocolate not outside but inside."

"What's this?" Takeru then asked.

"Takeru, it's not polite to go through Won-san's items without her permission," admonished his mother.

"It's okay," Soo-Jin reassured. She then gave the letter to the woman. "Here. My mother write this to you. It probably in Japanese already."

"Oh, why, thank you," the woman said, accepting the envelope.

She nodded and turned her attention back to Takeru. He was holding a light green package with a picture of a cartoon boy wielding a baseball bat. "That's Homerunball. Taste like chocolate." Soo-Jin opened the package and pulled out a white carton that was filled with small balls of pastry. "Try."

Takeru plopped one in his mouth. "Taste like a creampuff, but fluffier. And has a chocolate center. Here, Mom, you try one too."

When the three were done experimenting snacks, the host mother told them to stop so that they wouldn't ruin their appetite for dinner. When she retreated to the kitchen, Takeru and Soo-Jin went back to their studies, but discreetly sneaked in a few more bites anyway.

* * *

Even after their little conversation, Soo-Jin didn't really expect Murasakibara to talk to her again, or even bother acknowledging her existence. He never did, so why should he today? (Although it was surprising that he was given some idea as to who she was, such as almost/kind of/not really getting her name right the first try).

Well, it turns out that Soo-Jin was wrong. When break came around, she felt a gaze lie heavy on her, and was startled to find that Murasakibara's attention was solely on her. She was quick to realize what was the trigger, however.

In her hand was a box of Pepero.

Murasakibara even went as far as to go out of his way as to point that out. "You have something tasty there."

This, Soo-Jin thought, was pretty unfair. Was she so out of his range of existence that he had to ignore her in favor of a box of snacks? Was she abated into nothing? This was not how you would treat another classmate, regardless she drew on your face or not!

Suddenly, she felt the box slip out of her fingers while Murasakibara's long arm loomed over her head. Plucking the snack from her hold, he retracted his reach and proceeded opening it.

"Ah!" Soo-Jin jumped onto her feet and pointed at him. "You!"

"Hm?" Murasakibara idly glanced sideways. In the back of her mind, she realized that she was not tall enough for a sitting Murasakibara to even look up—which kind of made her sad. "What?"

"You—you…"

"Ah, it's Soo-ki-san."

"No, it's Soo-Jin…"

"What do you want, Soo-Jin-san?" he asked, taking out a Pepero stick and chomping on its nutty end.

Soo-Jin stared at him for a moment before ducking her head in resignation. "Ah, no… It's fine."

It wasn't fine when this somehow prompted Murasakibara into bullying her…


	5. Bully

**Of Pocky and Pepero**

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 5: **Bully

**NOTES:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech.

**NOTES 2:** Yes, the word "plaint" is a real word.

* * *

Soo-Jin supposed that it all started when she didn't voice her plaint against Murasakibara's action in stealing her Pepero the other day. She could say that it was because she drew on his face, but that seemed unlikely since the situation was already confronted (even with him misunderstanding her for apologizing).

Perhaps he saw that she was nothing more but a pushover—and that was what she exactly was. Well, when coming to Japan, that is.

Perhaps God above decided to make her weak for the days when she would skip after-school lessons just to take naps in the local library. Maybe it was because she got her mother a jar of de-aging cream on her birthday (but it was a prank!—she gave her the real present later).

Either way, Soo-Jin just couldn't say no to Murasakibara whenever he requested things from her. From his unusually large hands to his droopy eyes to his usually tall height and back to his droopy eyes (because, for some reason, they just strike cold fear into her), Soo-Jin was rather intimidated by the boy. She couldn't say that she knew for sure what he would do to her if she didn't obey, maybe just grab onto her head and squeeze her brains out or something.

If she didn't concentrate on such details, then surely she would have seen him as a friendly giant—err, well, a lazy giant (because friendly might not be the correct word in describing someone like Murasakibara). Surely she would respond according to her own feelings and refuse, that way she wouldn't do something so troublesome like making her way into buying packaged sweets for him.

It all started with a simple request.

"Soo-Jin-san, I ran out of chips," Murasakibara said. He rested his chin on the palm of his hand while his whole body was turned in her direction. "Can you go get some for me?"

Soo-Jin's automatic response was no, but then that was when she started taking notice of his scary traits, and so she gave in and said yes.

And thus the trend started!

Of course, being Murasakibara's little gofer did attract some attention. Their classmates would give them odd glances, probably wondering why the foreign exchange student was playing servant to the school's tallest boy. But eventually, interest faded, as the students would go back attending to their business.

Word did circulate the school, however, making Soo-Jin a little spectacle for the rest of the first-years and some of the older students. In fact, it even caught attention of the basketball team, and eventually urged one of the members to seek after her.

He introduced himself as Wei Liu. He said that he had moved to Japan when he was twelve-years-old because of his father's business. Immediately, he could make a connection with her of how it felt being a gaijin in Japan, from the racial prejudices to the language barrier.

"As a fellow foreigner, I can see how strange and difficult it can be when coming to a different country. What's more, our countries' historical reservations with Japan may stand in our way of connecting with these ignorant descendants of Japan. They don't see what their sanguinary forefathers had done to our ancestors, victimized by their Japanese way."

National tension going on in Asia.

"But that doesn't mean you should feel intimidated. We are now in the twenty-first century, where we as individuals have power to change the world. So don't feel intimidated by Murasakibara—he's nothing but a mindless idiot who's only got a penchant in wearing down his dietary system. That goes for everyone else you see here, such retarded baboons they are. You see? These Japanese are simply worthless scums."

During his speech, Soo-Jin could only think of was, "Wow, sunbae(1) is really good at talking in Japanese."

Listening in around a corner were some boys from the basketball team, all stunned to see Liu not only talk so much but to find that he really looked down on the Japanese here. It was probably what's-his-face's fault for making fun of his slanted eyes when they were first-years. Liu knew how to hold onto a grudge.

Murasakibara felt mildly offended for being called a "mindless idiot", but dismissed it. It wasn't an unusual thing for the Chinese boy to make harsh remarks.

Still, it served as a surprise for them all. "I…never knew that Liu felt that way," Fukui said.

"Me too…" was the shared silent thought of all of the boys.

When Liu was done talking to Soo-Jin, he came upon the basketball team who were crouched around the corner, trying to make themselves less noticeable as possible (but it's actually impossible). The boys (except for Murasakibara) had stiffened as their wary eyes observed the tall Chinese boy towering them, but Liu didn't make a comment or any indication to their eavesdropping.

Instead, he looked down at Murasakibara and said, "You shouldn't bully girls around, Murasakibara."

"I'm not bullying her," he said around a mouthful of chocolate. "She's just doing me favors, I guess."

He raised a questioning brow but did not voice anything.

* * *

It came as a surprise for Soo-Jin when Murasakibara handed her a box of Pocky. He looked like in pain when doing it.

"Uh, what?" Soo-Jin said, accepting the box anyway.

"For you," he said nonchalantly, his voice in funny contrast to his awkward expression. "For the times when you brought snacks for me."

Soo-Jin—who should have known that when Murasakibara gives up a snack to you, you should feel extremely flattered or something—didn't feel flattered at all. Instead, she looked down at the Pocky in her hand and felt her irritation surface. Did he really think this would compensate for all those times…?

"_It doesn't make up for the times when you pushed me around, you jerk_," she grumbled.

"You're welcome," Murasakibara said.

* * *

(1): Korean: upperclassman


	6. Shintaro

**Of Pocky and Pepero**

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 6: **Shintaro

**NOTES:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech.

* * *

Soo-Jin's host family wasn't the first Japanese natives who she had communicated with. In fact, back in South Korea, her teacher made her students exchange letters with penpals from Japan. These penpals were apparently students of a teacher who was a friendly acquaintance of Soo-Jin's teacher. They went to the same college in Japan or something like that.

The teacher passed out cards with the Japanese students' names written on them by random. Soo-Jin was given a card with the name Midorima Shintaro.

Shintaro (or Taro-Taro, as she preferred to address him occasionally) wrote his letters very formally. It was always such a bore reading them, so in order to make things interesting, Soo-Jin would write atrocious things to him in hopes of getting some sort of reaction outta him. It helped using Google Translate.

"Hello, Taro-Taro! It's me, your ever so bubbly penpal, Soo-Jinny-winny! I hope that you're doing finey-winey today! Boy, it's been suuuch a boring day in school. I just hope that break comes by faster! What are you gonna do during break? I'm gonna have loads of fun timey-wimeys! Maybe go to the park and see all the cute lil' critters! Hee hee hee! Oh, and maybe go window shopping in case if I find anything cutesy-wootsy. Say, say, what do you think would look adorable on me? A pair of flats with these itty-bitty red bows on them or a pair of rockin' sneakers that has a cool star pattern? Well, I hope I can hear from you soon, Taro-Taro! With lovey-dovey amounts of care, Soo-Jin!"

(She also added a lot of stickers and glitter to beautify it).

Of course, having her letters initially be less the amount of whatever disgusting crap she decided to write in her later letters, as Shintaro described them to be when he responded back to her, he was able to catch that she was teasing him, in a sense. His offense was manifested through a series of threat messages (well, they didn't really contain any threats, but his irritation could be felt in waves after reading each word).

Soo-Jin took it that he didn't appreciate the gushy letters so she stopped (trying to perfect the grammar was too much work, anyway). But at least he did respond in a way that she hoped he would. She didn't cease calling him Taro-Taro, however, regardless of how many times he demanded that she would stop.

The majority of her classmates exchanged letters via email. Soo-Jin tried to convince Shintaro to do the same, but he preferred to use the old-fashioned hand-written method to the instant messaging of the Internet. Surprisingly, they received each other's letters in a span of two to three days.

"It's because I'm holding my lucky item every time I write my letters to you," Shintaro once wrote when Soo-Jin made a comment about the speed of mail delivery. "The power of Oha-Asa cannot be underestimated."

She couldn't translate the word Oha-Asa, so she assumed that it was a name. But whatever else Shintaro wrote greatly puzzled her.

They kept in touch for three years, writing to one another regularly. Most of her classmates cut ties with their penpals when the assignment was over, but Soo-Jin figured that having someone to write to would make life a little more interesting (even if it meant that she would have to really exercise her Japanese). Shintaro apparently didn't have any qualms with that, given he continued to write back to her.

Soo-Jin liked to say that they've grown close for penpals. Yes, even though their only communication maybe words on parchment, she thought of herself as a friend of Shintaro. Well, perhaps friend might not be the correct term since Shintaro was a person hard to understand overall.

She liked writing to Shintaro, her penpal from Japan.

But then she suddenly had to move out of the country.

Her thoughts were occupied on something else.

And then she completely forgot about Shintaro.

Shintaro, on the other hand, never forgot about her.


	7. Oops

**Of Pocky and Pepero**

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 7: **Oops

**NOTES:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech.

**NOTES 2: **I never read or watched Kuroko no Basuke, so the characters' personalities may be off. I only read the character profiles.

* * *

Soo-Jin decided that her life her in Japan wasn't getting any better. She could tag the blame on rotten bad luck, but it was sorely obvious that her impulsive actions were doing all the hard work.

It all began during class. It was a warm day today, and every student was feeling rather sleepy. Soo-Jin was trying not to dozy off and concentrate on the lecture that the teacher was pontificating about for the past ten minutes. As she slumped in her seat, halfway giving up on paying attention, a large hand engulfed the top of her head.

She took a sharp intake of breath, her back stiffened straight as a stick, as she robotically looked to her left. Staring lazily at her was Murasakibara. The teacher apparently didn't notice Murasakibara's long arm outstretched and grabbing onto her head, probably because they were sitting in the back row. Still, the boy suddenly grabbing her was random enough to catch some attention.

"Y-yes?" Soo-Jin said warily.

"Can I borrow a pencil?" he asked. "Mine ran out of lead."

"Holy crap he's seriously not taking notes is he," was a hasty thought made in her mind. She peered over at his desk and was surprised to find that he was indeed taking notes. It was a bizarre sight.

"Ah, okay." Digging in her pencil pouch, she produced a mechanical pencil and handed it over to him.

"Thank you," he murmured.

Even though he's been doing it regularly, Soo-Jin didn't think that she would ever get used to the feeling of Murasakibara's hand on top of her head. It felt weird, like an alien suctioning cup trying to lift her up to its mother-ship or something. What's more, why did he keep doing it? It's not like she was being his little gopher anymore, so there's really no need to get her attention in such a way.

For example, when she was heading to class after break, Murasakibara grabbed her head out of the blue, causing her to pause mid-step. He then let go and passed by without a word. This had left her feeling very confused.

Maybe he did it for the heck of it, she didn't know. What she did know was that this only furthered her prior thought of him being a weirdo. Soo-Jin decided it might be best not to think too much about the boy's head-grabbing fixation and take it as one of his eccentricities.

While deeply thinking, Soo-Jin reacted badly when something disrupted her train of thought so abruptly. In fact, she was so immersed with her thoughts that any consciousness that reality was tick-tock-ing was excluded. It was why she almost jumped when Murasakibara grabbed her head again.

Instead of jumping, she thrust her pencil in the air while giving a squeaky roar of "Uwaaah!"

Something warm dripped on her forehead. Soo-Jin blinked and realized that she had rammed her pencil into Murasakibara's hand, causing a stream of blood to flow. Murasakibara stared at her with incredulous and wide eyes. Her classmates stared at her. The teacher stared at her.

They looked at the pencil and the blood, and then back at her.

Clearly, this was just going to dub her a new name, setting her apart from being the South Korean transfer student and the tall basketball kid's gopher.

* * *

And, so, Won Soo-Jin was now recognized as "the crazy Korean girl who got revenge against the tall basketball kid". She was given a more bewildering name, but she didn't want to think about it (truth be told, it kind of made her want to cry).

It wasn't like she was being picked on, but wherever she went students would stop and stare at her, whispering to one another and pointing at her. Oh, the humiliation.

"_Maybe this time I can convince Mom to take me back home,"_ she muttered to herself.

The attention that she unwillingly attracted the most was the basketball team, more so the regulars. Now, these upperclassmen were definitely one of the tallest boys here in Yosen High. Wei Liu, the Chinese student who approached her a few days ago, was one of them, in fact. Aside from Liu, Soo-Jin somewhat couldn't get over the fact that there were Japanese students who could be so tall… It was rather astonishing.

But also was astonishing was have said upperclassmen corner you in the school courtyard. Actually, it was more like terrifying. Were these boys trying to pick a fight for injuring one of their players? Not that she could do taekwondo or any form of martial arts, but she knew a thing or two about self-defense (mostly she knew to kick where it hurts).

Liu, who she was most familiar with, turned to him and asked, "Ah, sempai? What's going on?"

Before Liu could respond, the one upperclassman who resembled a gorilla cut in, saying, "Hold on, hold on. I think we should wait for Murasakibara before we get started."

"How is Atsushi, anyway?" inquired a rather handsome boy. "I heard that he had to go to the hospital the other day." This information caused Soo-Jin to blink, a bit shocked to hear such information. She didn't think that the injury would have resulted having him go to the hospital.

"The injury wasn't anything too serious," answered the gorilla sunbae(1). "Although, it will prevent him from playing basketball for awhile."

Another upperclassman, one who's actually normal in height, added, "Which it'll be really troublesome for us to find a replacement. Do you know how many freshmen went for other positions because seeing Murasakibara discouraged them from trying out for center?"

"Eh? What about the second and third-years?" the handsome boy said.

"Our previous center quit to join tennis with his girlfriend."

With this mentioned, the gorilla sunbae hung his head and sobbed. "I've never had a girlfriend in my life!"

Eventually, Murasakibara did arrive. Immediately, Soo-Jin's eyes flew to his hand, which was wrapped with gauze. She winced. Surely there was no way for Murasakibara to play basketball now. Soo-Jin couldn't help but feel guilty, even though it wasn't really her fault (it was his since he was the one who startled her so badly).

Even when noticing her, his face remained apathetic. "Ah, it's Soo-Jin-san," Murasakibara stated. Tucked between his arm and stomach was an opened bag of chips. Even when wounded, he still managed to get his daily intake of snacks.

"Good morning, Atsushi," greeted the handsome boy.

"Same to you, Muro-chin."

"Oi, Murasakibara, is this the girl?" said the shortest sempai.

Murasakibara took a moment to chew and swallow before answering, "Yeah."

"Well, that settles it." The third-year crossed his arms. "According to Basketball 101 of Yosen High, it says that if someone does a wrongdoing to one of our players, we as regulars got to make sure that person has gone through retribution in whatever the wronged player desires it to be."

"And how would you know that?" Liu asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I read it a couple times. It might not seem like it, but that handbook has a bunch of funny rules."

"I suppose that's why I'm wasting my minutes here for."

Even in a flurry of words from the second language, Soo-Jin could somewhat translate what they were talking about. She didn't think the situation should be called to be anything worth worrying about, but a frown wormed its way on her face nevertheless. Retribution? Did that mean that they were going to force her to pay back Murasakibara? She found herself paling a bit. Did that mean they wanted her to hurt herself in return?

"Oh please," sighed Liu. "This is ridiculous."

"You would say that, Liu," snorted the short sempai, "considering how you seem to favor your fellow gaijin so much."

The Chinese boy shot him a glare, but didn't say anymore.

"I guess you call the shots, Atsushi," said the handsome boy.

"Mmm," Murasakibara mused as he continued to stuff his face. "I could go for an apology," he finally said, looking at the girl.

Soo-Jin scratched her head and then nodded. "I deeply apologize for my transgressions," she said, bowing humbly.

He pointed at her and commanded imperiously, "Say it in Korean."

"Je-song hamnida(2)."

"Heh heh heh," he giggled, smiling like a goof.

"Oi, is this guy for real?" muttered one of the basketball regulars.

And, so, Soo-Jin found herself catering to Murasakibara's needs once more.

* * *

(1): upperclassman

(2): I am sorry


	8. Letters

**Of Pocky and Pepero**

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 8: **Letters

**NOTES:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech.

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

Hello, Taro-Taro! It's me, your ever so bubbly penpal, Soo-Jinny-winny! I hope that you're doing finey-winey today! Boy, it's been suuuch a boring day in school. I just hope that break comes by faster! What are you gonna do during break? I'm gonna have loads of fun timey-wimeys! Maybe go to the park and see all the cute lil' critters! Hee hee hee! Oh, and maybe go window shopping in case if I find anything cutesy-wootsy. Say, say, what do you think would look adorable on me? A pair of flats with these itty-bitty red bows on them or a pair of rockin' sneakers that has a cool star pattern? Well, I hope I can hear from you soon, Taro-Taro!

With lovey-dovey amounts of care,

Soo-Jin!

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

Recently, you have been sending me these letters full of disgusting crap that deviates from how you usually write. Please cease at once and return writing normally, otherwise I will discontinue writing to you regardless of how much your grade would suffer from such.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

You're a jerk.

Love,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

Unless it is your intention on being wasteful, I advise that you would put more in your letters. After all, mailing does cost money, and it is not your money that you are using, now is it? What was it about your mother being the devil incarnate? How do you suppose that she would react when she discovers that you are carelessly spending on her funds?

Anyway, today I have purchased a yellow rubber duck. According to Oha-Asa, it is the lucky item for Cancers. Perhaps this will enhance my shooting ability to play in tomorrow's game, but then again that may not be necessary—my accuracy will always be one hundred percent. It is the other players who I place concern the most; though their performance may be impressive, it can't be said that they would never end up being second best as it was for Haisaki Shogo.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

You know, if you just agree to use email like everyone else I wouldn't have this problem. Not only would I not have to spend cash, but it's also much more convenient! And I know that you explained to me what/who Oha-Asa is last year, I'm still confused. And I don't think it's pousibble for gain luck from an object. It's not logical whatsoever.

Anyway, good luck with your game (again), you basketball junkie. You arrogant sod. You freaking weirdo. You jerk-face retard. You luck-obsessed creep. Go bald.

Also, please stop being so mean to me.

Always,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

You misspelled "possible". Learn your characters right.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

You hypocrite! What was it that you said about being wasteful?! Anyway, Japanese is much too hard! I'm shocked that I'm even able to master this much, probably thanks to that Spartan woman of a teacher.

Never mind. I change my mind. I don't want to know who/what Oha-Asa is—I figured I might turn out weird like you from knowing such. Ugh. Why is it that whenever I write a letter to you, I feel a headache coming on? Whyyy? Oh, whatever.

Anyway, how was your game? No, wait, don't tell me—you won, didn't you? Of course you did, according to your previous letters, that is. You know what? From what I can tell, you could be pulling my leg about the whole basketball thing. In fact, you could be a fat pimply nerd with a closet fascination with anime girl characters. But because of your insecurity, you lie to your penpal about being a topnotch basketball player. I don't doubt for a second that you have an obsession with Oha-Asa though.

Jokingly,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

And as far as I can tell, you can be a hideous little brat with issues. You probably relentlessly pick on your peers due to your insecurity, and you can never admit to yourself what a horrible person you are. Frankly, there are times when I wonder what you write to me about you are as true as you say they are.

Are all Koreans as annoying as you?

Please grow up.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

I hate you.

Hatefully,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

I apologize.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

Wow. It took you one whole week to respond. I thought that your Oha-Asa god was supposed to speed up the mailing process, or could it be that you were lagging in replying back? Well, whatever may be the case, if your letter hadn't come in time, my teacher would've docked points and I would've ended with a bad grade.

To tell you the truth, I kind of don't know what else to put here. I first intended on making fun of you, but then your letter seemed serious the more I look at it.

All I got to say is that _what_ I write to you is indeed true, but _how_ I write my letters does not convey my personality. In truth, I don't act bubbly or friendly, but I like writing this way to you. It's fun. I think you're having fun when you write letters to me too, but it's not necessary to get overworked over letters. After all, there's no doubt that anyone's going to read these letters, right? Just relax and go with the flow; have fun with this, Shintaro.

I'm sorry for saying that I hate you. I really don't.

Love,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

I apologize for my misunderstanding. Thank you for understanding.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Taro-Taro,

Are all of your letters going to be short and boring?

Sincerely,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

Do not call me Taro-Taro.

I must confess, I feel as though I'm in an awkward position. I know well enough that you do not hold any resentment against me, but it is difficult letting my guard down. Do not misunderstand, I am comfortable communicating to you informally and intimately for we have been continuing this writing system for more than a year now, but that's about it. We only know each other via letters.

There is no satisfaction in not knowing whom you are writing no, regardless of what information you impart may be true or not. I believe the same may be said for you as well. Nevertheless, it was not right of me to lash out at you no matter what exasperation I may have felt. Being emotional over a letter is incredibly childish, and for that I apologize again.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

Sheesh. Getting all philosophical on me just because of an argument. Just so you know, this isn't the first time we've been caught up in a quarrel. There's that time when you called me a moron and I called you a noob. And then there was this one time when you got seriously offended about what I said and responded with a rant. It was three pages long, if you happened to forget.

Seriously, Taro-Taro, if you're curious in wanting to know what I look like, you could've asked for a photo. I'll send you one, in fact!

Yours truly,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

You wear glasses. Interesting.

Very well, I will do the same.

Also, don't call me Taro-Taro.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

Wow! Look at you! You look like Yong Jun-Hyung with glasses! I'll frame it.

With care,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

Moron, don't frame it! Throw it away. You have no use for it now that you know what I look like.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

Friends came over today. They pointed at your picture and asked me who you were.

I told them that you were my boyfriend from overseas.

Love,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Baka,

You stupid, stupid, stupid girl! Do not say false things to people!

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Taro-Taro,

I know that you're actually flattered, you noob.

Yours truly,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

Stop calling me Taro-Taro.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Taro-Taro,

Never! Mwuahaha!

Love,

Soo-Jin

P.S. My mom saw the letters that you wrote to me recently and complained about how little you're writing. She told me to tell you that you should write more.

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

Never.

Hatefully,

Midorima Shintaro


	9. Handsome

**Of Pocky and Pepero**

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 9: **Handsome

**NOTES:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech.

**NOTES 2:** I saw this fanart of Murasakibara wearing a turban headband—he looked really handsome!

* * *

Because she "owed" Murasakibara, Soo-Jin went back to her gopher days. To be honest, she originally hadn't been his gopher for so long, just a bit over a week. However, she quickly got used to it, so it didn't really bother too much when she was doing the same little odd jobs, like fetching an armful of candy bars or carrying his schoolbag for him.

Murasakibara didn't grab her head anymore, at least in class he didn't. Despite the injury Soo-Jin had inflicted on him, he still had that tendency to run those long fingers of his into her hair, much to her displeasure. But she never vocalized her discontentment; she wasn't sure whether her complaints would go against her temporary servitude to the tall boy.

While Soo-Jin could have pictured her life in Japan to be a bit better than what was now, Murasakibara seemed relatively happier. Whether he didn't have to bother going his way to buy himself snacks or whatever may be the cause, Murasakibara could be seen differently. His expression still remained its apathetic self, but there was something about his aura that was unlike his previous one. Himuro, a second-year who Soo-Jin had come to know, just absently commented that Murasakibara appeared more cheerful than before.

Murasakibara's teammates said that he was happier probably because he didn't have to bother with basketball considering that he was put off to the sidelines to recover.

Everyone in the basketball team knew that the tall boy saw basketball as nothing but a tiring effort of a game. He only played because he possessed talent, as he had acknowledged; the other boys, though disgruntled by such a careless remark, relented this inadvertent attitude. They couldn't deny that he was indeed very talented when it came to basketball.

Soo-Jin, though now aware that Murasakibara was regarded as an important player, didn't really care. If it was anyone else in her position, that person may adopt an interest to basketball; however, to Soo-Jin, basketball was just a sport, and a sport was just a sport.

The only thing she was interested, however, was finishing her task in paying back Murasakibara. She figured that she had it better since the hand that she stabbed was his left (if it was his dominant hand, who knew how much work she would've been obligated to carry out).

* * *

"Soo-Jin-san," Murasakibara said one day after school, "let's hang out."

"Go where?" Soo-Jin asked, placing her booklets inside her schoolbag.

"Anywhere."

"_I want to go home to Korea,"_ she grumbled. _"Although, I guess I can kill time with this galoot."_

"What," said Murasakibara intelligently.

"Okay," Soo-Jin said, nodding. "I'll hang out with you. _Only because I have to."_

The boy stared at her for a moment, and then nodded back at her. "Yay."

Recently, Soo-Jin had been seeing Murasakibara more often than before after school, probably due to the amount of spare time he has that replaced the time he would usually occupy with basketball practice. Nowadays, he would just sit around and eat, go home early, or take a nap, but today was different. She was actually surprised that he requested that she would go hang out with him; she didn't think that he possessed the interest or the energy to do something like go on an outing.

Soo-Jin was about to zip her schoolbag close until something caught her eye. She dug inside and pulled it out. Apparently, this caught Murasakibara's attention as well when he chose to ask, "What's that?"

"A headband. Someone must wanted to put inside my bag or something..."

She held up the piece of black cloth. The headband was of stretchy cotton material; it was wider than what headbands normally were. She checked the tag, reading it aloud, "Turban headband."

"Hmm," Murasakibara hummed.

Soo-Jin looked from the headband and to the boy who was kneeling in front of her desk. Her expression was contemplative. Then she held it to him and asked, "Will you wear it?"

At first, she expected him reject the idea, or at least show some reluctance, but, to her surprise (again), the boy took the headband and put it on just as requested. He pulled it over his head, letting it dangle on his neck first, and then pulled it over his forehead, pushing his bangs back.

To Soo-Jin's shock, Murasakibara looked good—really, really good. Maybe it was because she was used to seeing his shaggy hair framing his face, she didn't know, but Murasakibara looked quite attractive with his hair back and the headband resting on his forehead (his eyes didn't even look all that intimidating either). All he needed was to wipe the crumbs off the corner of his mouth, because that just made him look like he missed aiming a candy bar to his mouth.

"How do I look?" he asked curiously.

"Very nice," she said truthfully. "Handsome."

"Handsome?" he reiterated.

"Handsome."

"Handsome," Murasakibara said, almost in awe. He then looked at the empty wrapper in his hand with dismay. "I ran out…"


	10. Takeru

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 10:** Takeru

**NOTES:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech.

* * *

Fujioka Takeru, who had been walking Soo-Jin to and from school ever since she came here, seemed rather upset when she told him that she was going to hang out with Murasakibara. The middle school boy had been patiently waiting at Yosen High's gates as usual, and when she approached the exit with Murasakibara, Takeru predictably was taken aback by the incredible height the other boy possessed. His reaction to Soo-Jin's message was a contrast, however.

"I'm not sure about that, Won-san," Takeru said, frowning. "It's been two months, sure, but I'm not positive that you would know your way back home."

Soo-Jin gave a carefree smile and said, "Not a problem. I know very well. Do not worry about me."

The boy, however, remained skeptical. He then tore his gaze from the Korean to the tall boy, scrutinizing him with distrusting eyes. Murasakibara wasn't bothered; in fact, he didn't even seem to have noticed Takeru at all. He just stared off into the distance while mindlessly fed himself a candy bar.

"You plan on hanging out with this guy?" Takeru asked with a tone touch of incredulous.

She nodded, oblivious to the boy's disbelief. "Yes."

Takeru looked back at Murasakibara, who continued to portray himself so unimpressively. He turned his attention back to the girl and deadpanned, "I don't think that might be a good idea, Won-san."

"Eh?" Soo-Jin's forehead creased with confusion. "Why?"

"Well, for starters, how well do you even know this person?"

"He's a classmate."

She didn't hear him mutter to himself, "As if that changes anything." Takeru sighed and said, "I don't think this person is someone you would want to associate yourself with. He looks like a thug."

Soo-Jin raised an eyebrow and looked over her shoulder. Murasakibara? A thug? Well, he did appear a bit like a hoodlum thanks to the turban headband, and the disheveled way he wore his school uniform kind of emphasized that thug-ness. Nevertheless, he shouldn't appear anything _like_ a thug. For one thing, he didn't look like a pop singer wannabe, and he was missing an earring and a tattoo (which, according to her logic, was considered as the standard thug trait).

"Don't worry. He's not a thug," she assured.

"That—ugh, never mind," Takeru sighed, shaking his head. The younger boy gave the two high school students one more look, this one appearing weary; finally, he relented. "Alright, you can hang out with him," he capitulated, "but under one condition."

The condition was that Takeru has to accompany them.

"Just for a safe measure," he explained.

"Ah." Soo-Jin nodded.

* * *

It wasn't that Soo-Jin disliked Takeru—she liked him plenty enough, in fact—but she always found herself being awkward around the boy. It was weird; Takeru was considerate, kind, even though he had that tendency to wake up late in the mornings that resulted having his family and her wait for him in order to eat breakfast. Perhaps Soo-Jin was accustomed to being awkward around him, strange to say.

Although, his not-so-discrete glances did nothing to discourage that awkwardness. She didn't know why the boy would do such a thing and then act indifferent around her, pretending that he wasn't observing her from the corner of his eye. Could it be that he wasn't used to having a Korean living under the same roof as him? It made sense, and yet at the same time it didn't. It's already been two months, and given that he along with the rest of his family members agreeing to take her in didn't add up with him being uncomfortable around her.

What's more, he seemed adamant on seeing that she wouldn't end up alone with an apparently thug-like Murasakibara (which sounded laughable in her head). So, maybe her being Korean or a foreigner in general had nothing to do with it. Still, she didn't discount it as implausible.

Murasakibara didn't mind when he learned that Takeru was to join them of their outing. His response was a shrug and a drawl of "Okay". Takeru didn't seem all too impressed with the older boy's demeanor judging from the frown formed on his expression, but he didn't say anything.

Right now, Murasakibara had dragged the two to three different convenience stores, buying only snacks. Soo-Jin had already grown bored when they were making their way to the second convenience store, so she decided to suggest bizarre snacks to him, hoping to make things interesting at least.

On the third trip to a convenience store, Soo-Jin shoved a small carton of ice cream to him. "Try, try."

Murasakibara accepted it and read the label aloud, "Seaweed-flavor."

Takeru raised an eyebrow. "Seaweed-flavor?"

"Oh, look," the other boy said, reaching into the fridge. "There's natto-flavor too."

The three decided to stop and sit on a bench that was in front of the store. Murasakibara set down his bags of food and went to dig out the three ice cream cartons that he bought.

"You're going to eat them already? All three?" Takeru blinked.

"They're going to melt if I don't eat them now," Murasakibara murmured. "Ah, Soo-Jin-san, the spoons..."

"Here I have," Soo-Jin said, producing three colorful spoons. She handed one to Takeru, who reluctantly accepted it.

"I have to try as well…?"

"Yes," Soo-Jin confirmed. Murasakibara said that he'd try the snacks that Soo-Jin suggested only if she ate them with him, and she didn't want to leave Takeru out, even on something disgusting like eating seaweed-flavored ice cream. Besides, these flavors seemed harmless enough. What damage could they do other than fry her taste buds?

"Um, is that a yakisoba-flavored soda-pop?"

* * *

When Soo-Jin and Takeru returned home, the host mother was surprised to find the kids clutching their stomachs and make sounds of pain. They practically dragged themselves inside the house.

"What happened to the two of you?" she asked her son.

"Nothing," he murmured.

"Well, it certainly doesn't look like nothing."

"Ahpo(1)…" Soo-Jin wailed, keeling over.

"What's going on?" asked Kyoko, who entered the room. She looked at her brother and gave a bark of laughter. "You look like death."

"Shut up…"

Strangely, Murasakibara was the only one who turned out fine. In fact, he even went back to the store to buy seconds.

* * *

(1): Ow


	11. Shrimp

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 11: **Shrimp

**NOTE:** Midorima's being a tsundere even in his letters.

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

Today was uneventful, as usual. I went to school, listened to my teachers lecture for hours on end, ate my mom's crappy lunch, and ditched afterschool lessons to take a nap in the library. The only interesting thing that happened was seeing this old man slip and fall on his back. He didn't take it so well when I laughed at him, though.

Why is life so dull?

Curiously,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

I can care less of how you perceive your life. If you truly are unsatisfied with the way things are, then that means you are doing something wrong. Rather than whining about it, you should go and adopt a hobby, join a club, or get a job. Do something with your pathetic self

Even with today's lucky item cannot suppress the unluckiness on my part of having to read your letter full of depressing trash. Why did I bother to volunteer myself to participate in an assignment as worthless as exchanging letters with someone like you?

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

How often do I complain to you?

Love,

Soo-Jin

P.S. You're doing this for extra credit, if you really did forget.

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

I lost track.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

I guess that's why you're calling me pathetic. I mean, not to encourage you of being your typical jerk-face self, but I can see your point. I think my demon of a mother is influencing me; you see, too often has she come home with a plethora of complaints. If you think I'm annoying, you should listen to her!

Anyway, are you excited for Christmas? I am!

With care,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

Christmas is two months away, you moron.

I must confess, the more I exchange letters with you, the more I am at loss at what else to write. I could write about basketball, but then you would become increasingly annoying.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

I really hate shrimp. Mom made shrimp tonight, and I hated it. It tastes like rubber chicken.

Hungrily,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Why would you send me your three-day-old shrimp, you idiot!? That is disgusting!

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

I don't know! It was an impulse thing, alright? Jeez, you must be really mad at me to forget to add "Dear Won Soo-Jin" and "From, Midorima Shintaro". Speaking of which, we know each other for two years already. I always called you Shintaro, but you always address me as Won Soo-Jin. Why can't you just call me Soo-Jin?

Sadly,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

I suppose I can forgive you for pulling such a stunt like shoving a shrimp in the envelope. Consider yourself lucky that I didn't fall into temptation of not responding back to you for two weeks; I sorely was, by the way. And to answer your question, it just never seemed appropriate for me to refer to you informally, regardless of how you easily do it without a care. Frankly, I don't want to become any closer to you than I am now, which isn't much, for your information. I fear that if I warrant myself to address you by your first name, I might subject myself into a spiral of craziness, and eventually lose my sanity. Already do I worrying about getting gray hairs after opening your letters.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Drama Queen,

It's not like I'll do something like stuff shrimp in the envelope or send you a letter bedazzled with glitter and stickers anymore.

Exasperatedly,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

Hmph.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Noob,

What the heck is that supposed to mean?!

Confusedly,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

Figure it out yourself.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Taro-Taro,

I really hate shrimp (Mom made some more today), but I hate you being mad at me more, so I didn't put any shrimp in this envelope. Be grateful, you noob.

With loads of care and whatever,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Soo-Jin,

Did you write your letter drunk? You writing seemed off.

From,

Shintaro

P.S. Don't call me Taro-Taro.

* * *

Dear Noob,

I didn't. I wrote it really late at night because I forgot to. Before you can jump to conclusions, I didn't forget about you like how an insensitive person would, but because I had exams to study for. Just like shrimp, I hate exams. I also hate the way the temperature would become so frigid. Don't you hate cold weather too, Taro-Taro? I hate it so much.

Yours truly,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Soo-Jin,

Don't call me Taro-Taro.

From,

Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

Holy cow! I totally missed how you just wrote "Soo-Jin" instead of "Won Soo-Jin"! And you called yourself Shintaro too! This calls for a celebration!

I'm currently toasting this letter with my can of fruit juice.

With love,

Soo-Jin

* * *

Dear Soo-Jin,

Cheers.

From,

Shintaro

* * *

Dear Taro-Taro,

Why did you send me a sheet full of shrimp stickers?

Still with love,

Soo-Jin


	12. American

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 12:** American

**NOTES:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech

* * *

Soo-Jin never found out who the black headband belonged to, she also was never given it back by Murasakibara. But the boy did look good with it, so she supposed that it didn't matter.

There was a day where Murasakibara did show up to school wearing the headband, and almost instantly did he attract a gaggle of wide-eyed girls. However, they were reminded of who Murasakibara was when they saw him slouch in his seat and produce a bag of chips to his chest. A not very attractive trait amongst the girls, which Soo-Jin could very much agree.

Even when he lost his ten minutes of popularity, the gorilla sunbae shot Murasakibara looks of jealousy before crouching into a corner to sulk. The short sempai rolled his eyes while Liu sighed. Himuro chuckled in amusement, whether it was from watching the gorilla sunbae sulk or seeing Murasakibara being oblivious to the girls watching him, Soo-Jin didn't know.

It was surprising, however, seeing Murasakibara wear the headband again.

"Soo-Jin-san said I looked handsome in it," was his only explanation before he would resume eating. In a beat, the basketball regulars' eyes flickered in her direction, causing the girl to stiffen at the sudden attention.

"Well," Liu said slowly, breaking the moment of silence, "isn't this interesting."

She wasn't sure if she understood it well given that it was in Japanese, but Soo-Jin would have guessed that the upperclassman was insinuating something.

* * *

Now that she thought about it, Soo-Jin had been spending a lot of time with the basketball team recently. It was because of Murasakibara insisted on dragging her around, which included bringing her inside the gymnasium to watch a group of sweaty boys pass and bounce orange balls, which wasn't remotely interesting at all. But since Murasakibara's hand still hadn't healed completely, Soo-Jin was obligated to do whatever he wanted her to do. Why he wanted her to sit on a bench with him while his teammates practiced, she didn't know. Soo-Jin didn't even think that he was paying any attention either; from what she could tell, he was just staring into space.

Soo-Jin sighed and leaned her back against the wall behind her. How long was she here for again? The wooden surface of the bench was making her right butt cheek numb.

"Hello there." Her thoughts were disrupted by a smooth voice. She looked up, finding Himuro smiling down at her. Soo-Jin cringed, the stench of sweat coming off of the older boy in waves. "Hey now, I don't reek that badly, do I?"

"Oh, sorry, but yes," Soo-Jin said frankly, wrinkling her nose. "You're…stinky."

Himuro gave a chuckle. "Then I apologize." He looked over at Murasakibara, who didn't even acknowledge his presence, and shifted his eyes back onto the girl. "You and Atsushi seem awfully close. I must admit, I find it a bit of a surprise," he said.

"Ah, no. We're…not close. Much," Soo-Jin clarified uncomfortably.

"No?"

"No. We just classmates."

"But surely you must be more considering how you two are often seen together, even before you were forced to do Atsushi's bidding."

Soo-Jin didn't respond right away, first allowing the words to sink in. Was that true? Were she and Murasakibara seen frequent in one another's company? Why, that can't be right—from what Soo-Jin knew, she was always alone. For one month, no one bothered with the Korean transfer, and she never bothered with anyone in turn. But then…did that remain after she drew on Murasakibara's face?

After that day, Murasakibara stole her Pepero and had her do harmless requests. And some time after that, he would occasionally grab her head and mess up her hair for no reason. If her one month knowledge meant anything, then Murasakibara doing something like that surely deviated from how he usually behaved, and it must have been quite a sight to see the usually inactive boy act playfully towards someone, especially a girl.

Soo-Jin decided that it was best not to think too much of it, however. She was, after all, the Korean transfer, and the boy did show signs that he was more interested in her nationality than her as a person. For example, he would ask her to say random phrases in Korean. Not that she minded, but it pretty much gave away where he placed more interest in.

"He likes my culture, not me," Soo-Jin said, shaking her head.

Himuro looked disappointed for some reason. "Oh, please don't think that way. Surely he must like you genuinely enough in order for him to want to be around you."

She highly doubted that.

"You're not saying that because of an ancient grudge between the Koreans and the Japanese, are you?" Himuro asked not impolitely.

"Eh? No. Some Koreans don't forgive Japanese, but the Japanese today didn't do anything."

"Oh, good," he said, brightening up. "It's funny because back in the US, where I studied overseas, I had classmates who were Korean who would tell me about how their parents would hate the Japanese for what they did during World War II."

"You went to America?" Soo-Jin asked, interested. "You had Korean classmates?"

"Yes I did. You learn a lot of history there that the Japanese teachers don't cover or tend to avoid. My old history teacher, Mr. Miller, said that the government wouldn't have the students learn about their nation's darkest faults given that it may affect the students, like how British kids don't know that Britain monopolized America back then somewhere after the colonial era."

"Ah."

"I'm not sure how much the students here know about Japan's history during the World War, but I think not a lot. They may or may not be aware of the enslavement of the Koreans that placed an impact in Korean history. My Koreans classmates found it to be ridiculous how the older generations still harbor grudges, however."

"Ah, true! So true!"

Soo-Jin decided that, next to Liu, Himuro was a nice sunbae. He wasn't awkward to be around with at all. In fact, talking to him was quite engaging, and he was very friendly. Additionally, he was insightful and brilliant, so it wasn't hard to take an immediate liking to him (if she didn't take his good-looking face into account, that is).

Somewhere along the way, as Himuro and Soo-Jin were having their conversation, Murasakibara took notice of this and draped his long arms over Soo-Jin's shoulders, leaning his chest against her small back and tucking his chin into her hair. The girl froze at the sudden contact and the heavy weight she found herself supporting.

"Muro-chin, what are you doing here?" Murasakibara drawled.

"Just having a pleasant conversation with Won-san here," Himuro said cheerfully. "Oh, look at the time; I must be getting to the court before the coach notices that I'm gone. Okay, goodbye now!" With that, the second-year scampered off.

"_Well, isn't that weird,"_ Soo-Jin murmured. "Um, get off please?"

She couldn't see his face, but she could imagine Murasakibara having an expression of consideration since he didn't answer right away. Finally, he said, "I don't want to."

"…Okay."


	13. Glasses

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 13: **Glasses

**NOTES:** Italicized is Korean speech

**NOTES 2: **It's a short chapter due to writer's block. Sorry.

* * *

"Soo-Jin-san, your glasses…"

"Hm?" Soo-Jin looked up. "What about them?"

"They're skewed…"

The girl blinked and touched the rim of her glasses. Even back when she first got them, she never noticed whether the glasses on her face were tilted at an odd angle or not. If she could see well through them, then it usually didn't matter to her, but for someone like Murasakibara to notice, well… Maybe it wouldn't hurt to wear them properly from now on. Her mother would surely appreciate that.

"There," she said, adjusting her glasses. "Better?"

The boy gave her a contemplative look before reaching with his good hand and shifted the whole frame with one of the hinges. "Better," he confirmed, nodding.

On the way to class, Soo-Jin couldn't help but fidget under the unmoving stare of Murasakibara. What else did she wear skewed? Before she took the chance to ask, the boy chose to comment absently, "Your glasses look like Mido-chin's."

"Eh?" Her eyebrows shot up.

"He's a…" Murasakibara paused. "He played in the same team as me…back in middle school."

"Ah," she said in understanding. "He not your friend?"

Murasakibara lifted his broad shoulders and dropped them—a shrug. "He's funny," the boy offered.

"How?"

"He brings weird things everyday and calls them lucky items."

With this mentioned, something in Soo-Jin turned cold. "O-oh?" she croaked.

Oblivious, Murasakibara didn't take notice of this as his eyes were focused on the bag of chips he carried. "Yeah," he said. "He's so serious too, but brings the weirdest things… He brought a rubber duck one time."

She blanched. She wasn't sure whether this Mido-chin that Murasakibara was talking about was the same person she was currently thinking about, but one thing was for sure…Shintaro was going to kill her. By mail or by his Oha-Asa god-thing, she didn't know…but she was going to find herself regretting about forgetting about him one way or another.

"Soo-Jin-san, you look pale…"


	14. Culpability

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 14:** Culpability

**NOTES:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech

* * *

The first thing that Soo-Jin expected when coming back to the Fujioka residence was the typical "Welcome back" from the host mother, and maybe a "Hi" from Kyoko if she was passing by. What the Korean didn't expect was the woman later informing her that a package was sent from her own mother again.

Takeru sent her a glance, a rather curious one. "Snacks again?" he assumed.

"Not this time, I'm sure," the host mother said. "The package is much lighter."

This was surprising for Soo-Jin. Another mail from her mom? And so soon? Maybe she was beginning to despair at her daughter's absence. A feeling of hope swelled up inside the girl. Maybe, just maybe, the woman was considering about taking her back to Korea. Wouldn't that be nice!

Unfortunately for Soo-Jin, that wasn't the case. When she retreated to her room, Soo-Jin sat before her desk and proceeded opening the box. Inside were numerous envelopes all crammed inside their small container, and on top of the envelopes was a sticky note. _"You should take better care of your friends,_ babo ya(1)!" said the note, and Soo-Jin hung her head in despondent resignation.

"_Who're you calling stupid?"_ she muttered. _"And what about friends?"_

Did her mom referred to her friends back in Korea? Well, she did remember saying goodbye to every one of them, and there was no way that she could have forgotten one—she wasn't popular like Lee Cho-Hee, the most admired girl of her previous school who had fifty billion friends. Gosh, did she really dislike that Lee.

Her eyes flickered back to the envelopes. Pulling one out, she could tell that these were used and sealed, and the dog-eared corners would've indicated that these haven't been opened yet in a long time. Soo-Jin flipped to the back and froze when her eyes landed on the neatly printed handwriting. She recognized that handwriting and knew who it belonged to.

Shintaro.

Midorima Shintaro.

Good gravy, she just came back from school after having Murasakibara remind her of Shintaro, and now her own mother was pestering her about it! What luck she struck.

Soo-Jin bit her lip, wondering if these premonitions that she was feeling was an exaggerated sense of paranoia, and slipped the envelope back with the rest. Well, she tried to. Instead, her elbow swung against the edge of the box and knocked it down, the envelopes scattering across the floor.

"_Oh, jeez!"_ Soo-Jin wailed. _"Shintaro, why!"_

She huffed at her own clumsiness (though it did make her feel better when pinning the blame on Shintaro) and knelt down to collect the envelopes. Unceremoniously dumping them back into the box, she did frown at the thought of her mom taking the time to have them stacked orderly. It felt like a troublesome reminder from the woman to study hard in school, be polite to her host family, eat well, behave properly according to Japanese customs, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Even from afar, her mom never failed to nag at her.

Soo-Jin sat down on the floor, crossing her legs, and decided to read a letter for the heck of it. She couldn't help but wonder what Shintaro had to say all this time, and it did stun her to see the boy continuing to send letters to her despite her deficiency in writing back.

What her mom wrote to her made sense now. Shintaro didn't know that she had moved to Japan and just kept sending the letters to her address back in Korea. Guilt overcame her prior wariness of her penpal. To think that she had forgotten to do something important like give him the big news. While she could convince herself that it was because her mind was quite occupied by the fact that she was about to transfer to another country, Soo-Jin just couldn't shake off the feeling of shame.

None of the envelopes were in order by date, but it didn't really matter.

Soo-Jin picked up one and opened it.

* * *

Dear Soo-Jin,

This is my fourth letter and you still fail to reply back. I allowed myself to believe that you were merely ill and was unable to write. However, I am beginning to think that you are doing this on purpose. Do you find this amusing? To play a stupid ruse in playing indifference for our letter exchange? Need I remind you that I am simply doing this just for your entertainment? And that if I were to refuse, you would "flood my mailbox with spam letters," quoted from one of your other letters that contain the usual bad grammar. Well, I will tell you this: I do not have the patience to tolerate this. I will discontinue our letter exchange if this happens again.

From,

Shintaro

* * *

Dear Soo-Jin,

Today, I have visited a former teammate when he finished having a mock game with another former teammate. It was, least to say, how disappointing it was for him to have come to a loss to a nobody-school like Seirin, the school that my other former teammate plays for. But he did not play to his full strength, so that was to be expected.

Today's lucky item is a toy frog.

From,

Shintaro

* * *

Dear Soo-Jin,

Because I find your long period absence unusual, I am obligated to write again. It has been approximately a week since I last wrote to you, and despite my warning, you still did not respond. I am left suspecting that this isn't a prank, but perhaps you being very busy. With schoolwork? Or did you find yourself a job? Joined a club? Whatever it may be, I am unsettled that you haven't replied. Not that I even care what you're doing.

From,

Shintaro

* * *

After reading a couple more, Soo-Jin was beginning to feel…bored. It was Shintaro being his typical I-don't-care-but-I-really-do self. It may have been nostalgic initially, but over the years of having to read his letters again and again, it just felt redundant.

Soo-Jin, however, forced herself to read every last one.

And that was when she came upon _this_ letter.

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

I grow tired of writing to you. If you do not respond, I will forever ignore your existence. I am serious.

From,

Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Soo-Jin groaned aloud.

As much as she wanted to write a letter to Shintaro—which she was ready to do it right now—she had a problem.

She forgot Shintaro's address…

(She briefly considered finding him herself. He lived somewhere in Tokyo, she think, but it was much too far!)

* * *

(1): stupid


	15. Tutor

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 15: **Tutor

**NOTES:** Italicized is Korean speech

**NOTES 2:** To that Korean reviewer: I'm Korean American. But I'm more American than I'll ever be Korean, much to my parents' disappointment.

**NOTES 3: **First longish chapter—ack.

* * *

A month passed and Soo-Jin still couldn't concentrate on her studies, not when Shintaro clouded her thoughts. Question after question pounded her head, and the itching feeling of wanting to send a letter to him, to reconnect with her penpal, was driving her insane. How was he doing? Did he hate her now? Was he still a basketball junkie? How much did he change in two years since she got a picture of him?

She almost groaned and thunked her forehead against her desk (oh, how tempting it was to do it). Maybe Shintaro did hate her. After all, given the years of passing raillery (more-so on her part) and a couple banters here and there, Soo-Jin had grown to become aware of Shintaro's troublesome personality, even though all they did was write to one another, and she was pretty certain that the boy was going to hold a grudge.

A long finger jabbed into her ribcage, causing her to twitch.

"Soo-Jin-san, can I borrow a pencil?"

Murasakibara, unlike Shintaro, wasn't _that_ troublesome. Sure, the tall boy proved to be odd at times, but at least his character was easygoing, even if he had the tendency to touch her every now and then. If Shintaro was the one asking for a pencil, he'd probably look as imperial as possible and _demand_ for one rather than request. The thought of having her penpal as a classmate made her snort in amusement.

Murasakibara tilted his head to the side, looking like a lost puppy, and inquired, "Is something funny, Soo-Jin-san?"

"Oh, nothing," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "Just memory. Memory." She dug inside her pencil pouch and produced a pencil. "Here."

"Thank you…" he murmured before resuming back to note-taking. Soo-Jin, on the other hand, couldn't do the same. Well, at least somewhere towards the end of July, summer vacation would start. That means she would have to tolerate just three more weeks of school.

Three more weeks of school…

And a big fat exam to take…

* * *

Because Soo-Jin was an idiot, she was required to take afterschool tutoring.

"Won-san," her homeroom teacher had said, approaching to her privately concerning the matter. "Your grade average is passing, but not remarkable… And this coming exam will affect your marks exponentially. Your previous tests had shown that you do poorly when testing, so here is what we're going to do…"

Because the teacher was being sympathetic (pitying), he decided to get someone to tutor her. Now, the girl wasn't actually an idiot. Back in South Korea, Soo-Jin did moderately well. She was nothing like those driven students who would compete for the best grades of the school, but she did work hard to maintain average to good grades. But whenever the teachers would lecture about a subject, Soo-Jin's thoughts would occasionally drift off elsewhere.

And where does the fault lie?

Shintaro.

Because the exam was a major big deal, Soo-Jin had to do well in order to pass. If she didn't pass, then she had to take classes during the summer, and she definitely didn't want to do that. Therefore, for these three weeks, she would have to put a lot of effort in studying, much to her dismay.

"What's wrong, Won-san?" Takeru asked when he caught sight of her scowl.

"Eh?" Soo-Jin looked up. "Um… Nothing."

"Doesn't appear to be nothing."

Out of all the host family members, she spent the most time with Takeru, and she gradually gathered that the youngest Fuijoka was quite perceptive. They somewhat grew out of their awkward phase, so perhaps this was how Soo-Jin was able to discover this trait of his. She had been curious and intrigued of the boy's acuity, but now she wished he would just turn a blind eye on her grief. The darn kid was too stubborn for his good.

Though, it didn't really matter. He was going to find out anyway.

"I'm doing badly in school," Soo-Jin sighed. "I'm getting tutored for three weeks after school."

"Oh, I see," Takeru said, nodding in understanding. "When are you going to take your tutoring sessions and what time do they end? If you want me to wait for you, I could."

"No, no," she opposed, shaking her head resolutely. "You don't need to. I know the way to your home very well now. Thank you, though." She would feel terrible if she kept Takeru waiting for her even longer.

He looked as though he wanted to argue against it, but then shrugged in resignation. "I guess you're right…"

This was going to be the last time that they were going to walk home together till summer arrives.

* * *

Soo-Jin was surprised to find out who was to be her tutor.

"Won-san, this is Wei Liu-kun. He's a third-year and has the best scores in his grade. I'm entrusting you to him, and I'm certainly hoping to see some big changes."

"Don't worry, sensei," Liu interjected smoothly. "The changes you will see will impress you surely."

The teacher smiled brightly at the boy. "I'm leaving her to your care then," he said before heading off.

"No basketball practice?" Soo-Jin asked the older boy.

"As of right now, no. I've been given admission to miss the beginning of practice, so I'll only be an hour late."

Liu had been informed of what subjects Soo-Jin required assistance on from her homeroom teacher, giving the third-year hindsight as to what to work on. He decided to first tackle down the hardest one: English. "Now, this will be problematic since you never learned English," sighed Liu. "Oh well. I suppose I can train you into understanding the basics."

"Eh?" Soo-Jin said, confused.

During the hour, her head was throbbing in pain from all the information that Liu had forced down upon her. Though she knew it was for the best (since she didn't know any English whatsoever), the upperclassman was rather brutal with his teaching style. Nothing like her Japanese teacher in middle school, but brutal nevertheless.

So far, she learned about vocabulary and grammar, and now she was given the material on what to study. Tomorrow, they were going to try math, which was something that the girl was not looking forward to at all. She hated math.

"That's it for today," Liu said, packing his things to leave the classroom. "Review the notes that I gave you."

"Yes, yes," Soo-Jin mumbled, her head resting on top of her desk.

"Right. I'm off to basketball." Then he paused, as if he was considering something, and then told her, "Why don't you come with and watch for a little while?"

Soo-Jin shifted her head so that she was resting on her chin. Her brows furrowed. "Why?"

Liu didn't answer right away, which was strange for the usually straightforward boy. But when he did respond, he said, "Ever since Murasakibara's hand has been healed, he's been slacking off more than usual, especially during practices. The coach isn't pleased, but since she heard that you're his friend she thinks that he'll improve his performances if you're there to watch him."

What the heck? What kind of logic was that, thinking that her presence would change anything? But more importantly, this coach thought that Murasakibara and she were friends…? First Himuro and now this lady? Did everyone share the same opinion?

Taking note of the expression on her face, Liu then added, "Come if you only want to." She really didn't want to, but the tone of his voice basically commanded, "You better come or else." So, in order to please her favorite sunbae, Soo-Jin agreed to come.

Reluctantly, however.

* * *

After waiting for Liu to change into a pair of shorts and a plain t-shirt, the two headed to the gymnasium. There, the basketball team was apparently holding a mock game, one group of boys wearing jerseys to differentiate the two made-up teams.

"Murasakibara's sitting on the bench," Liu murmured to her. "His turn isn't up yet." Then, with a "friendly" shove, the Chinese directed the girl to where the aforementioned boy was. Aforementioned boy instantly took notice of Soo-Jin's presence and blankly stated, "Ah. Soo-Jin-san is here."

Soo-Jin awkwardly waved. "Uh, hi."

"Oi, Liu! You're here!" A boy jogged towards Liu, and extended his arm to hand him a jersey. "Coach said that you're playing now. We're going defense. Hm?" He glanced down, and a smile spread across his face when he registered that Soo-Jin was here. "Why, if it isn't the crazy Korean transfer! I thought the deal was over since Murasakibara's hand's recovered."

"It is," Liu said flatly. "Go back to the court before Coach gets mad."

"Hai, hai. See you later, crazy Korean!" the boy said before running off. Soo-Jin could only sigh; she was more or less getting used to the title. At least people stopped assuming that she was a North Korean strapped with bombs hidden underneath her uniform; the news circulating in this school can develop the stupidest rumors ever.

"I apologize for that. I should have expected that one of my teammates would say something rude and tactless," Liu said.

"No, it's fine," Soo-Jin said.

"Right." Liu threw the jersey over his head and pulled it over his torso. "Well, stick around however long you want." Soo-Jin wryly translated this to "You better stay put until Murasakibara finishes his game."

She sighed again and sat down on the bench. Murasakibara was looking at her curiously, and then asked, "Why are you waiting for Liu-chin?"

"I'm not waiting for him. He just invite me to watch practice."

"Ah."

"Sooo…" Soo-Jin trailed off. "How are you doing?"

"Good. You, Soo-Jin-san?"

"Good, good. Your hand?"

"Good."

"Oh, that's good."

When Murasakibara came to class without the gauze wrapped around his hand, the first thing Soo-Jin did was grab his hand and inspect it (why she did it, it was an impulse thing—not that she cared about the weirdo or anything). What was left of Murasakibara's injury was a small white scar. It bothered Soo-Jin thinking how deep she had stabbed his hand for it to leave a freaking _scar_—must have hurt the boy _a lot_ when she did it. Surprisingly, it didn't bother Murasakibara at all. In fact, he didn't notice it until Soo-Jin pointed it out.

If driving a pencil into his hand, rendering him unable to play basketball, and leaving him a scar didn't bother him, then how did a doodle on his face did?

But, then again, Murasakibara didn't make sense in general, so it didn't really matter.

"You going to play soon? The…pretend game?" The Korean transfer gestured to the court.

Murasakibara nodded.

Silence.

Soo-Jin realized that Murasakibara was very difficult to engage in a conversation with.

And, so, the two sat together in total silence.

"_I want to go home,"_ she muttered.

* * *

Even though Soo-Jin was here, Murasakibara still didn't bother to try participating. Only when the ball was within his peripheral would he idly smack it out of the opposing player's hands.

Soo-Jin was about to happily conclude that she wouldn't need to come to the gymnasium anymore until Liu—oh, stubborn, stubborn Liu—wouldn't give up. In fact, he tagged the fault on her for not bothering to cheer Murasakibara on, which he predicted that would rouse some sort of reaction out of the tall boy. Soo-Jin was offended, and told Liu to "go screw himself sideways" in Korean.

Although Liu didn't understand her, he retaliated anyway by saying something in Chinese.

"Anyway, after tomorrow's tutoring session, you're coming with me back to the gym again."

"Sunbae!" Soo-Jin cried. "Na noh shido(1)!"

She didn't really, but the moment urged for a witty comeback, in which she failed miserably.

* * *

Catching up to her studies was hard, but it was worth it, Soo-Jin supposed. Her mother was generally laidback when it came to grades (compared to other Korean mothers, that is), but if she were to ever find out that her daughter was slacking off, then she'd have a cow! If it ever came to that, Shintaro would drop to last to her list of things to worry about.

Thinking about her grades led her to think about Shintaro. How was he doing in school? Was he doing alright? It was mentioned in some of the letters that he had the second highest scores in his grade for the three consecutive years in middle school, so the boy must be doing well in high school. Probably getting the highest scores now that Aka guy went to a school in Kyoto or somewhere up north.

Thinking about Shintaro led her to think about Murasakibara (oddly enough). If she wasn't doing so well, then how was Murasakibara doing? Not meaning any offense, but the boy didn't look in the slightest bright. Well, Soo-Jin could take into consideration that he was hiding the fact that he was actually a brilliant student, probably thinking that exhibiting his intelligence in class was too much a bother. Additionally, Liu never mentioned Murasakibara requiring any tutoring or anything.

Thinking about Murasakibara's grades almost compelled her into asking him what his score on the last test was, but the question died on her lips when something else popped in her mind: Shintaro. She hadn't really thought about it, but Murasakibara mentioning that this Mido-chin played on the same team as him back in middle school, wore glasses, and brought lucky items around with him… It sounded uncanny. It was basically what Shintaro told her about him in his letters. Could this mean that Murasakibara's Mido-chin and her Shintaro be the same person?

Well, there's one way to find out.

The class was currently taking notes, as usual, but that never stopped Murasakibara to prod her with a long finger and start asking her random questions. Why he did it, she'll never know, but she reckoned that it was because he was just bored. So imagine his surprise when the usually quiet Korean transfer student poked his side to get his attention.

"Hm? Soo-Jin-san?" her murmured.

"Um, I have question…" she stated awkwardly.

"Hm?"

"Uh, so…do you have a friend named Shintaro? Erm, Midorima Shintaro?"

Murasakibara stare at her for a moment, and then, all of a sudden, his eyes became wide. Before Soo-Jin could register this phenomenon of Murasakibara looking shocked, the boy quickly turned his head away and trained his eyes back onto the board. The Korean transfer was left feeling stunned and vaguely betrayed.

Holy crap, what kind of reaction was that?

* * *

(1): I hate you


	16. Girls

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 16: **Girls

**NOTES:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech.

**NOTES 2: ** maliiiik . tumblr tagged / ngggh % 20 the 20 first % 20 and % 20 second % 20 pics % 20 % 5E p % 5E

**NOTES 3:** Just to clarify: Soo-Jin isn't meek and timid; she's awkward and nervous and reserved (and pessimistic and a little eccentric).

* * *

"So," Liu began, staring dispassionately down at the sluggish form of his underclassman, "something happened between you and Murasakibara?"

"Nothing," the girl murmured, but her voice was muffled from her sleeve in her mouth so it sounded like "Nnngh."

"Murasakibara seemed off today."

Slowly, Soo-Jin lifted her head off the table and gazed blankly at the older boy, eyes filled with a silent question.

"He wasn't eating any snacks, and Himuro commented about him being unsettled," Liu elaborated.

"Oh," she said.

Taking this into thought, Soo-Jin hadn't noticed this change from Murasakibara, but then again he didn't exactly stick around during lunch period for her to see. Once the bell rang, the tall boy had pushed himself up from his seat and marched away. She leaned against the back of her chair and frowned slightly. What was it her question about Shintaro that had set him off?

It wasn't like Soo-Jin's spirit was ebbed away by Murasakibara's dismissal or negligence (because that would be ridiculous), but the sheer look of shock on his face had certainly startled her. She knew that the boy was capable of many things, a hidden genius included (if possible), but definitely not making such an expression! Frankly, she thought that his trademark droopy eyes and apathetic features were something perpetual (except for the time when she stabbed him, but let's not think about that).

So why did she let this bother her, Soo-Jin didn't know. Perhaps it was because they were beginning to get to know one another so well…? That this was a start of something akin to friendship…? Maaaybe…?

Whatever. It wasn't like Murasakibara meant much to her, anyway. Or that was what she at least thought.

* * *

Liu didn't make her go to practice with him. She was relieved.

* * *

Seeing Murasakibara in the morning had got to be the most awkward thing Soo-Jin had the displeasure of experiencing. It even topped the time when that turd-face from third grade shoved her down to the floor when she was trying to hold in gas, and a grotesque sound just ripped out of her little bottom. Very traumatizing moment.

Soo-Jin supposed that the only way to deviate from this moment of awkwardness was to pretend that Murasakibara was a complete and utter stranger, someone who she had never met before in her life. Because pretending that one person had ever existed in your life always fixed the problem, whatever the problem may be.

But the thing was that, just when Soo-Jin was about to sit down in her seat, she couldn't help but notice Murasakibara fixedly setting his eyes in the opposite direction of her. His whole head was turned away and his cheeks were puffed up, as if it wasn't obvious enough that he was trying so hard not to catch her eye.

Ever been in a situation that went from bad to worse?

So here was Soo-Jin, who was openly staring at Murasakibara, being buried in her own vacillation of whatever she may feel conflicted of doing, and Murasakibara, who was determined to not look at the aforementioned girl. Their classmates, who were watching the whole silent ordeal between the two oblivious desk-mates, were wondering, "What is going on?" It was strange for their part seeing how they became more or less used to the gargantuan first-year and the Korean transfer interact with one another on a daily basis.

But that's not what they were doing. Soo-Jin was just staring at Murasakibara, and Murasakibara was turned away from her.

Just _what_ was going on?

Confusion and panic came off the girl in waves as her brows furrowed and her position still frozen in mid-action. Soo-Jin's mind went stagnant for a few seconds until her mouth gone and had a mind of its own.

"Good morning," she blurted out.

Murasakibara visibly flinched, yet still no response from him.

Soo-Jin was bewildered by this show of pertinacity.

A classmate, who decided to take pity on the transfer student, stepped up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe Murasakibara-kun isn't feeling well this morning," the classmate suggested.

"But," Soo-Jin stammered. "But."

"Now, now," the girl cajoled, pushing Soo-Jin down to sit, "enough of that. Class is about to begin, anyway."

* * *

Her name was Suoh Meiko, and for the first time since Soo-Jin had came to Japan she was invited by her to join a group of friendly classmates to have lunch with. It was unnerving, obviously, given that Soo-Jin hadn't been invited to lunch since she was a first-year in middle school. The thought of middle school made her think about her old friends, wondering how they were faring while she, shipped all the way to Japan, was all alone.

Suoh, the girl who sat her down before class began, took it upon herself to open up to Soo-Jin, which Soo-Jin thought was stupid since the girl could have helped with her lack of social life _in the beginning of the freaking year_. But never mind that. What's in the past was now in the past. Perhaps Suoh wasn't sure how to approach the Korean transfer until recently, who knows.

Yeah, it'll be alright, Soo-Jin decided. Who needed Murasakibara anyway? Not that they were friends to begin with.

Because Suoh was the only one who she was the most familiar with (interacting for at least two minutes and fourteen seconds), Soo-Jin sat next to her. Suddenly, the atmosphere became very stiff and uncomfortable, each girl having her chin tucked under while staring blankly at her bento box. Soo-Jin quelled the urge to throw herself out the window. She hated awkward silences.

Feeling a tad exasperated with a number of things, Soo-Jin proceeded to uncap her lunch, uncaring whether it was a custom of Japan to wait to eat, whatever they would be waiting for (she wouldn't know; she either ate in the bathroom stalls or the stairways outside, and a couple times with the basketball team). In a few beats, the girls copied her, and the five of them were quietly munching on their food.

Finally, one of them spoke. "So, Won-san, how do you like Japan so far?" Suoh inquired.

Her mind was formulating a string of adjectives that sounded more and more like insults to explain how she felt about her how-many-long-months-it-had-been stay while she simultaneously replied cordially, "Oh, it's been nice. Interesting."

"That's good," Suoh said with a warm smile. The air of conversation easily slipped away as the group once again regressed into an uncomfortable silence.

Gosh, and to think that Soo-Jin herself was the socially retarded one.

Then Suoh piped up again, only to mention cheerfully (forcibly cheerful to Soo-Jin's ears), "By the way, isn't it interesting how Aya-chan is a huge fan of that K-pop boy band, Blue Star (1)? And here we are, sitting with a resident Korean?"

A relatively pretty long-haired girl, who Soo-Jin assumed to be Aya given how she was the only one who blushed hotly, shot a glare at Suoh, who paid her no mind. "M-Meiko-chan!" she hissed. "Won-san didn't need to know that."

Vaguely curious, Soo-Jin lowered her chopsticks and asked, "You like Blue Star?"

Aya squeaked, ducking her head. The other two girls chuckled at her reaction. "C'mon, Aya-chan," said one of them. "You don't need to hide the fact that you're a Koreanophile (2)!"

Back in Korea, Blue Star was a fresh-off-the-bat band that was burgeoning in its new fame. Soo-Jin didn't know much about K-pop bands other than the couple of the songs that were played in the streets whenever she made her way back home. She would have to admit that the men of their respectable music groups were quite nice to look at, and it was clear that their handsome appearances were a great percentage as to why they were so popular.

So, was it interesting to find that her Japanese classmate was a fan of Blue Star? Rather, yes. Soo-Jin was well-aware that K-pop bands gradually became something worldwide, hosting concerts in France, USA, and even Japan, but to think that she would actually encounter an actual _fan, _much less in her class. She wondered if this Aya girl took a liking of the music group just for their faces and not really their songs, not that she could blame her anyway.

Aya shot a harmless glare at her friend and pouted. "No I'm not!" she protested

"There's no need to deny," snorted the same girl. "I mean, after all, right after you discovered Blue Star back in middle school, you didn't just go from researching the band members but the country they live in too."

"You also wanted to become an exchange student into Korea by the time we enter college," added the other girl.

"You guys!"

"While we're at it, why don't you try to hold a conversation with Won-san?" Suoh suggested.

Because of the girls' agreement to such, Soo-Jin and Aya had little choice but to do so. While Aya's face once again turned red, looking as though she was being publicly censured, Soo-Jin couldn't help but feel intrigued. That and a bit excited to slip back into her national tongue. Trying to take in Japanese and inwardly translate it into Korean was a bit dizzying.

"Eto… Ahnyong haseyo (3)," stuttered Aya.

"Ahnyong (4)," replied Soo-Jin.

"E-eh? Doesn't that mean goodbye?"

"Means hello too, but just informal."

"Oh," she said, looking thoughtful, "I didn't know that…"

"_How are you doing_?"

"Eto… _I am well_."

"_That's good. What are you doing this weekend_?"

"What am I doing this…weekend?"

Soo-Jin nodded.

"Oh! Um… I _am going to study for my homework…and talk to my friends._" Aya paused, and then continued, "_How about you_?"

"_I'll be spending my days just studying because if I don't then my tutor will have my head and I don't want that. Not that this upperclassman is a bad guy—I like him a lot, but not like that—but just recently I've discovered that there's a scary side to him. I wonder if his teammates are often intimidated by him. Anyway, I'm close to failing class, so I've gotta study a lot too_," Soo-Jin intoned morosely.

The girls gave her blank looks.

"A sempai is…tutoring you?" Aya said hesitantly.

Whoa. She actually got that. "_Yup_," she said.

"O-oh. _Who is…him_?"

"_Who is he_," she corrected.

"_Who is he_," Aya repeated after her.

"_My tutor is a third-year, and he is in the basketball team. I won't say his name, but he's really tall_."

"Ah, um… Oh no!" she sighed, covering her face with both hands. "Ugh! I don't understand!"

"What did you say, Won-san?" asked Suoh.

"My tutor is a third-year who is in the basketball team."

Aya slumped a bit in her seat. "Jeez, I never knew holding a conversation in another language can be so difficult! It's just like English, but different."

Soo-Jin suddenly realized that if Aya continued her independent studies then she would have to watch what she would say in Korean, which sucked because it was one way for her to rant on and on while others don't become offended because they don't understand her. Dang it, Aya.

"Gosh, Aya-chan, how are you ever going to meet with Blue Star when your Korean is so lame?" teased one of the girls.

"Oh, it's not like I'll ever get the chance to," sighed the girl sullenly before cramming an eggroll into her mouth.

"Don't say that, Aya-chan! If you try hard enough, you'll be able to," said Suoh. "Right, Won-san?"

"Eh? Oh, right, right," Soo-Jin said. "Your Korean so far is good. Very good."

"You see? You've improved this far, so why give up?"

Aya nodded slowly. "I suppose you're right…"

"Anyway, now that we've semi-moved past this awkward stage, I have a question for Won-san," piped the girl who seemed to regularly playfully pick on Aya. Soo-Jin wasn't sure whether she liked her or not, but given her straight-forward and gregarious personality, maybe.

"Okay," Soo-Jin said.

"What happened between you and Murasakibara-kun?"

Maybe not.

"Haruko-chan, isn't that putting it a bit too bluntly?" the other girl said, frowning slightly.

"C'mon, Yui-chan! Don't tell me you aren't curious yourself."

"Not to be rude, but I'm also curious," Suoh said with a sheepish smile. "I mean, it's a bit unusual to see Murasakibara-kun act so standoffish, especially towards you."

"I know, right? He wasn't like that even when you sent him to the hospital after you jammed a pencil in his hand," Haruko added.

Gosh, was it necessary to remind her of that? Soo-Jin ran a hand through her hair in what was a combination of nervousness, frustration, and wariness. She felt as though she shouldn't say anything to these strangers, but it wasn't like the reason was anything worth knowing. "Um," she mumbled with an uncertain tone.

As if reading her mind, Suoh placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and assured, "Don't worry. You're among girls who can keep a secret. Well, I hope at least one of us can." With that said, Suoh gave Haruko a look, in which the girl responded by cheekily grinning.

Girls. Man, did it feel like such a long time ago since she's been with a group of the same gender—to talk, to giggle, to gossip… Her friends back in Korea weren't exactly close for them to remain in contact, but Soo-Jin liked to hang out with them. She wasn't popular or outgoing, but she had a good number of people to surround herself with. So to hear Suoh say that, it was, well, nostalgic.

For over a month, Soo-Jin was in the company of the basketball team, but mainly with Murasakibara. Yes, it was by an incident that their acquaintanceship had developed, but at least it meant that she wouldn't have to be alone anymore. However, there were times where she wanted to break away, yet that would result with her being alone again. What could she do other than to join (and to attempt toleration) a cluster of rowdy tall boys?

"It's nothing interesting," Soo-Jin said with a helpless shrug. "I said something and he was…shocked?"

"What'd you say?" Haruko immediately pounced.

"I asked him…if he knew Midorima Shintaro. His eyes grew big, and then he looked away."

The girls looked at one another and then back at the Korean transfer. "Who is this Midorima Shintaro person?" asked Yui.

"My former penpal. I think he went to same middle school as…" Soo-Jin paused. This was the first time she was going to say Murasakibara's name. Although she could sound it out in her head, she wasn't sure if her lips could enunciate the several syllables.

"Murasarara," Soo-Jin attempted.

The four Japanese girls burst out into a fit of giggles and snorts. "No, no, Won-san, it's Mu-ra-sa-ki-ba-ra," Suoh articulated slowly, humor evident in her eyes.

"Moo-rah-sah-key-buh-rah," she tried again.

"Mm, close. I think you did great on your second try. When I heard Murasakibara-kun's name, I was rather unsure how I would be able to pronounce it without making any mistakes."

"His surname is unusually long," Aya noted in agreement.

"So, your former penpal went to the same middle school as Murasakibara-kun?"

"I think so." Soo-Jin shrugged again. "Maybe they were in the same basketball team. I do not know for sure."

"If I may, I would like to state my supposition," Haruko declared with a grin.

Yui rolled her eyes. "It can't be a good one," she snorted dryly.

"Well, go on, Haruko-chan," encouraged Suoh.

A wily smile spread across the girl's face as she whispered, "I think Murasakibara-kun is…jealous!"

Soo-Jin blinked.

* * *

(1): Blue Star is a band that I made up. I figured that if I use an actual band I would go through the trouble of researching just to get accurate information, and that is something I do not want to do.

(2): I heard of Japanophile, so I thought that maybe there would be a Koreanophile too—someone who holds an obsession or high interest in Korea.

(3): Hello

(4): Hi


	17. Obdurate

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 17:** Obdurate

**NOTE:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech

* * *

Murasakibara? Jealous? There was just no way.

Soo-Jin shook her head and continued eating her lunch, trying to ignore the theories the girls were enthusiastically exchanging as to what explained for Murasakibara's "jealousy."

Him? Jealous? As if.

And, besides, if he was jealous, what does he got to be jealous of anyway?

* * *

Getting up in the morning had always been something that Soo-Jin faced everyday with extreme difficulty, but this morning was just something special. As the clock's alarm went off, she promptly turned it off, which was strange considering how it would take the girl a couple moments to lift an arm and slam on the button to quiet it, right? Well, in this case, Soo-Jin hadn't slept even for a second since she came back.

Pulling all-nighters was nothing new for her, but this wasn't deliberate. Still lying on her futon, Soo-Jin stared blankly at the ceiling, stray thoughts entering and exiting her mind. What were they about? They mostly consisted of recollections of Shintaro and her letters, Shintaro's picture, Shintaro's last letter to her, and how _Murasakibara was probably jealous after all_.

Soo-Jin inwardly screamed as she rolled around and gripped her hair. Just what was she thinking? Why did she go back to thinking about Murasakibara? And _Shintaro_? _Again_? Those girls from yesterday couldn't be right—such ideas were just spawned from the spur of the moment!

Giving a frustrated sigh, she clambered onto her feet to get ready, even though the desire to stay under the covers was stronger than any other day. It's not like she had much of a choice, though. Fleeting thoughts of playing defiant or how cold this morning was finally dissipated completely as she initiated the day's monotonous cycle. She brushed her teeth and hair, threw on her uniform, and headed downstairs.

It was one of those rare moments where Takeru would actually get up early. Because of her disoriented state, she couldn't much register the boy's reaction when he abruptly stood still before her, but judging the way his wide blinking eyes were zeroed in on her face, she got an idea.

"You look terrible," he said bluntly. "You didn't sleep at all, did you?"

She flinched. "Ah… No…" she mumbled. Was her lack of sleep really that noticeable? She unconsciously placed a hand on her cheek, feeling the clammy skin against her fingers. Staying up all night tended to make her skin look so bad… Not to mention the dark circles around her eyes…

Then, to her surprise, he placed a hand on her shoulder and steered her to the direction of her room. "Maybe you shouldn't go to school today," Takeru suggested. "You don't look so well. I'll have my mom call the school."

Given any other day, Soo-Jin would have whole-heartedly agreed with that, but something compelled her to go to school. Whether it was getting tutored by Liu or see if the girls from yesterday would remain friendly with her, she didn't know (but what she did know was that it had nothing to do with Murasakibara—it definitely did not). Something just told her that she should go.

Soo-Jin shook her head and said, "I'm fine. I…need to go. Need to go to school." She nodded satisfactorily with her answer before stumbling off. She nearly tripped over her feet when Takeru grabbed her arm and reeled her in.

"You're not even thinking straight," he sighed. "Where did you think you were going? And if you say to the backyard then I won't believe you."

Looking up, she noticed that she was indeed about to head into the direction of the backdoor. Looks like the boy was right; she wasn't focused at all, not to mention her head feeling fuzzy. Well, this was distressing, but only in a minor sense. She shook her head again and tried to pull her arm away, but Takeru wouldn't let go.

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"Won-san, you're not. I don't know why you weren't able to sleep last night, but clearly you need to right now."

"No, really, I'm fine."

He frowned. "Won-san…"

"Hello… What is this?"

Simultaneously, the two turned their necks to see Kyoko standing behind them. Her arms were crossed as she nonchalantly observed them with one bow raised up in question. After a few seconds, Takeru glanced down at where his hand was gripping onto Soo-Jin's arm and how close in proximity they were. The boy's face flushed in realization, causing him to jump back to give the two of them some space.

"Ack! Nee-san! This—this isn't what it looks like!" he exclaimed.

"I didn't say anything," she said.

"I _know_ what you're implying and it is not _true_."

"Are you a mind-reader now?"

Soo-Jin rubbed her temple. Her head was starting to spin. Good grief, it was too early to be so loud.

Eventually, their mother came around while the two siblings were still bantering. On her face was a puzzled expression as she asked, "What's with all the ruckus? It's very unusual for you two to be so loud in the morning or at all nowadays."

Both Kyoko and Takeru opened their mouths to say something, but then they paused and swiveled their heads over to where Soo-Jin was, causing the Korean transfer to jump at the sudden attention. This turn of action caused the woman to look at her.

"Oh my, Won-san! You look unwell—have you not had a good night's sleep?" With that said, the host mother ushered her back into her room regardless of the protests she tried to make.

So, in the end, Soo-Jin was back under her covers. And despite feeling even more exhausted than ever before, she was feeling rather grumpy to sleep. That Takeru… Too stubborn for his own good, gosh darn it.


	18. Conference

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 18:** Conference

**NOTE:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech

* * *

In the evening, Soo-Jin was surprised to find that not only had Liu came to visit her but Himuro as well. Any lingering feelings of embarrassment for the two sunbaes to see her in her pajamas vanished when she realized that the girls from the day before hadn't come to see her.

Well, it was to be expected, Soo-Jin reasoned with herself, after all, they just talked for one day.

Seeing his underclassman looking so dejected, Liu did what was the most rational thing to do. He chucked a notebook at her head.

"Ah! Ahpo(1)!" she cried, holding her head. "What for? What for?"

"Let's proceed with today's lesson, shall we?" Liu said, totally changing the topic.

Soo-Jin threw a confused glance at Himuro, who just shrugged helplessly.

"One: skipping a day of school is not okay—if you aren't dying from a terminal illness or anything of the sort, then there is no reason for you to be absent; two: you must know that I am a very busy person, and seeing how the person who I am supposed to be tutoring is gone screws up my schedule; three: my schedule is meant to be impeccable, and you may not see it now but I am very much ticked off because my schedule is screwed up; four—"

"I think Won-san got the message, sempai," Himuro said courteously, stopping the older boy from his mid-rant.

Soo-Jin didn't notice that she was recoiled nearby a corner until Himuro interrupted. She adored Liu and all, but he was just…scary. Thank goodness Himuro was here, whatever the reason he was here for.

"Right." If Liu had glassed, he would be pushing them higher on the bridge of his nose. Why doesn't this guy have glasses? He would look good in glasses. "I guess that's enough of that. Now we shall proceed onto the actual lesson, but before we do I need to recap you on today's lesson that you missed." He handed her a thick packet. "Your teachers gave assigned work to each of your classes, and I've taken the opportunity to compile them all into one during the time when I was supposed to be tutoring you."

The Korean cringed. There was that underlying indictment strung along with the words he was saying. She wasn't sure whether to feel guilty or nervous. Or confused. She understood what the third-year was saying, but at the same time she didn't; he just…spoke so many _words_… It was hard keeping up with the flood of Japanese, especially with Liu.

Not to be ignorant or anything, but wasn't he Chinese? Unless he was Chinese Japanese or had lived in Japan a good majority of his life…then that might explain why he was so well-articulated. He was fluent in both Chinese and Japanese, and he was almost able to master English too. Perhaps that it was a good thing to have him be her tutor in whatever subjects she required assistance in. Being of foreign origins like her, he kind of inspired her; not only that, but it helped knowing that he was the responsible and intelligent type of guy.

"Okay… Then, thank you," she said, bowing while hugging the packet to her chest.

After Liu gave a resigned "Hn," Himuro smiled brightly as he exclaimed, "Well, isn't it nice that that's been all taken care of?"

Seriously, what was he doing here?

As if reading her mind, the handsome boy abruptly directed his attention onto Soo-Jin (who instinctively flinched) and began to say, "Now then, I have something to say to Won-san."

Now that grabbed her attention.

Before Himuro was about to say what he was about to say, her host mother poked her head inside her room. "I'm sorry for disturbing you kids," she said genially. "I've brought drinks."

While setting out the drinks on the short-legged table that the three high school students were sitting around of, the woman smiled and said, "It's so nice to see two young gentlemen coming to visit Won-san when she's feeling unwell. I was afraid that she was having such a hard time adjusting here in Japan, but what my son had told me was right all along—she did make some friends!"

The host mother must have caught her blinking owlishly because she elaborated by saying, "Oh, don't you remember, dear? It was when you and Takeru went out on an outing with that friend of yours. From what I recall, Takeru described your friend to be rather tall. I suppose he was talking about either one of you boys, is that right?" The woman smiled again. "I must say, it is quite surprising to see gentlemen like you to manage to gain such height! I wonder if, in a few years, my son would be as tall as you two."

For some reason, Soo-Jin was beginning to feel uncomfortable with her host mother showering attention to her two upperclassmen, which was clearly unasked for. Although, Himuro looked like he was used to it, taking it all in naturally and gracefully. Liu, on the other hand, wasn't fazed at all; his face was still masked in that usual stoic expression of his.

Dang it! It really did feel like as though it was her _own_ mother embarrassing her! Only except her own mother would be spouting out mortifying childhood stories about her, which did happen the last time she brought friends over. She was careful never to repeat the same mistake ever again.

When the host mother left, Himuro turned to Soo-Jin and commented, "You and your host mother seem rather close."

"Not at all," she said frankly.

"Oh." A smile later wormed its way back onto his face. "Well, anyway, as I was saying, I have something to say to you, Won-san. It concerns Atsushi."

"Eh… Who?" she said confusedly.

"Murasakibara," Liu clarified.

It took her a moment to realize that Atsushi was Murasakibara's given name. "Ah," she said, nodding yet frowning. Having to hear his name was unexpected. "Um, what about him?" Soo-Jin asked, although she had a hunch as to what it would be about.

"Atsushi's, well…" Himuro scratched his chin. "He seems depressed. When we were practicing yesterday, he was so unmotivated, more so than usual. Coach was upset about his lack of performance and demanded what was wrong, and he answered by uttering your name."

Soo-Jin's eyes widened. "What? Really?"

The boy nodded. "Yes, really. He wouldn't make any further explanations after that. When practice was over, I asked him personally about it. He gave me a different response than what he gave Coach, but it still was unclear."

"What he say?"

"He said that it had something to do with what you told him a few days ago."

Soo-Jin sighed. After taking a nap when the host mother had insisted her to skip school today, she woke up not caring about Murasakibara anymore. Indeed that it did trouble her still, but not so much as to keep her mind going and going hours on end. Why did she let such thoughts keep her up all night, she didn't really know, but that's all over now. Hopefully.

Still, the issue of Murasakibara being jealous really does seem like a silly thought to have. She may not know the boy very well, but she knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't turn green with envy at the idea of her being in friendly acquaintance with his former basketball teammate. In fact, he didn't appear to be the type of person to become jealous at all! But why he had such a strong reaction to her question, however, she didn't know.

Liu took notice of her show of weariness as he inquired, "What did you say to him?"

She ducked under at his question; his tone wasn't accusatory like the first time, but the way he worded it sounded like she deliberately caused this to happen. The Korean transfer sighed again and rubbed her arm. "I asked him if he knew Midorima Shintaro," she answered truthfully. "He is former teammate of him, I think."

"Midorima Shintaro?" Himuro frowned in thought. "I think I've heard of him; you and the other upperclassmen were talking about the Generation of Miracles that one time," he said to the Chinese.

Liu nodded. "I think this Midorima guy just may be a former Teiko basketball regular. Is that all you asked Murasakibara?" he asked Soo-Jin.

"Yes," she said. "I don't know why he acted so strangely though…"

The two boys exchanged looks before looking back at her. "How did Atsushi act?" Himuro asked.

"I asked if he knew Midorima Shintaro, and Mur—Mura—Murasakaba's eyes grew big, like in shock, and he looked away."

"Hm. Interesting," Liu said. "Now, the question here is: why did you ask about Midorima Shintaro?"

"Oh, he was my penpal back when I live in Korea."

"But why would you ask about him, Won-san?" Himuro pressed on.

"Eh…" Soo-Jin rubbed her head. "When I moved here…everything is busy and I don't remember sending my penpal mails… But I then remember when Murasakaba kind of reminded me of him."

"That answers the problem, but the problem isn't solved yet," Liu sighed, reclining backwards with his hands behind him supporting his weight.

"Don't say it like that, Liu-sempai. At least we now know what was bothering Atsushi." And then Himuro added, "Well, sort of."

"It only brings up more questions, like why did he become—what did Won-san say, shocked?—shocked when she asked him if he knew Midorima, or why does he persistently go out of his way to ignore her?" the Chinese pointed out.

"That's true," the other boy admitted. He looked at Soo-Jin and smiled graciously. "I wanted to ask you about it at school, but then I learned that you were absent. Liu-sempai was kind enough to let me tag along with him. Thank you for your help, Won-san."

"No problem," she replied, though she sounded uncertain. Did she really help with anything? Other than tell them what happened, Soo-Jin didn't do much… If anything, it was more like her causing trouble by planting a distracting thought in Murasakibara's head.

"By the way, if I may ask, but how did you get sick?"

"Uh. I couldn't sleep. At all. All night." She shifted in her seat. "Then my host mother make me stay here to sleep."

"Is that so? It's good to see you looking well, but why couldn't you sleep?"

Without thinking, she answered honestly, "I keep thought about Murasakaba."

"Oh, really?" he chuckled. "Look, Liu-sempai! Won-san got herself worried sick over Atsushi! Isn't that cute?"

"A-ah! No, it's not like—"

"There, there, Won-san, I'm just teasing you."

Soo-Jin sighed before taking a glance at the clock that hung high on the wall of her room. The hour seemed to be rather early for the two upperclassmen to be here in her host family's house. Did they leave practice early or what? Suddenly, something caught her attention.

"What about basketball…?" she asked.

"Hm? What about it?"

"You…didn't go to practice?"

"If you're asking that we skipped practice, then no, we didn't. Coach would skin us alive if we did such a thing," Himuro snorted with an easy smile. "So we asked for permission."

"T-to come here?" Soo-Jin said a bit bewilderedly.

"We confirmed that our reasons were related to Atsushi, and since Atsushi is our only center—a position in basketball—and we presented an opportunity to see how to fix the problem, she warranted our leave."

"But did you see how he was?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did you see…Murasakaba? Is he okay?"

The Korean transfer was starting to question what was wrong with her. In the beginning, Murasakibara was nothing more than a classmate—an oversized weirdo classmate who happened to sit next to her. Then, somewhere along the way, he became…more than that. Acquaintances? More likely than friends, that's for sure. But it was hard to rank on their level of association considering how Soo-Jin wasn't that entirely fond of the boy.

Now what was she doing asking about Murasakibara with a tone filled with concern? As if she _cared_ about the big lump? She was confusing herself. He was supposed to be a mild annoyance for her, someone who regularly dragged her to places without her consent, someone who she insulted daily in Korean since it was one way for her to feel better about herself. Not that Murasakibara was a bad person or anything, and his company was better than being alone all the time, frankly, but he was just… Well, it was just…different.

Apparently, her question brought an inquisitive and amused light in Himuro's eyes. Liu didn't do much other than quirk an eyebrow. Still, it was by their reaction that managed to elicit an uncontrolled flush, making Soo-Jin's face go pink in delayed realization as to what misconceived hints she may have been dropping in the duration of their conversation. And those hints didn't mean anything whatsoever!

"Not that I like him much or whatever," she quickly added.

Suddenly, Himuro's expression broke down into a disappointed frown, and she began to wonder what was it that she said was wrong. "Are you worried that Astushi doesn't like you anymore?"

She didn't know how to respond to that. She wasn't sure if she heard him right. "Um…"

"I don't think Atsushi dislikes you or anything, Won-san. He's distracted and upset, but he wouldn't dislike you." He rested his chin on the palm of his hand. "I can't say that he being depressed isn't directed at you, but I can say confidently that it doesn't make him like you any less."

"Maybe by a little bit," Liu cut in, shrugging. "Knowing Murasakibara, he's got an insanely childish side to him."

The other boy smirked slightly. "Perhaps he was disgruntled by the fact that you knew his former teammate before you knew him."

Oh no. Himuro suspected that Murasakibara was jealous too!

"He isn't like that," she said firmly.

"He could be."

"He isn't."

"Won-san, I think you aren't aware of an obvious detail that you've turned a blind eye to," Liu commented.

Her eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement. "What?"

"The thing about Atsushi is that, well…" Himuro trailed. "I hate to jump to conclusions, but we think that he might have feelings for you."

Soo-Jin blinked slowly, trying to register the words that were just articulated. When her mind managed to wrap around what was said, a whispered "Saranghamnida(2)" in Murasakibara's voice (only huskier and not any drowsier) echoed inside her head. Significantly weirded out, she stiffened. "What," Soo-Jin said brokenly.

"Knowing the dolt, he wouldn't be able to differentiate between platonic or romantic," Liu mused.

"What."

"I think I broke her brain," Himuro observed in interest.

* * *

(1): Ouch

(2): I love you


	19. Misunderstanding

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 19:** Misunderstanding

**NOTE:** _Italicized_ in this chapter is not Korean.

**NOTE 2:** Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basket isn't mine.

* * *

"_We don't know him well, but it's plain to see that he doesn't show that much interest in any other girl."_

"_Atsushi is always with you if not with the team."_

"_His attention is often focused on you. You never noticed that, have you?"_

"_He sometimes talks about you, saying things like 'Soo-Jin-san and I did this' or 'Soo-jin-san and I did that'."_

"_He obviously likes you."_

"_He likes you, Won-san."_

Did he really?

Soo-Jin heaved an exhale, pressing the lids of her eyes harder against the knoll of her arm. For awhile, she ignored Liu trying to gain her attention, even though he kept smacking her on the head with a rolled-up booklet (and Himuro left early, so he couldn't scold Liu to stop abusing his underclassman). She knew that she had to study, but how can she when her sempais told her such thing? Better question is _why_.

She heard the older boy sigh and drop the booklet on top of the table. "Let me guess, you're blown away by how Murasakibara may be harboring feelings of love for you," he said dryly.

The girl cringed. "Love? That's too much," she all but wailed.

"You're overreacting. Little boys and girls developing crushes are nothing out of the ordinary."

"Murasakaba is not little boy. Big boy, more like."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, yes, of course."

Soo-Jin hesitated for a moment before murmuring, "Do you think that…? Does Murasakaba really…?"

"Does he really have feelings for you? Who knows." Liu shrugged. "But no one can deny how differently he acts around you."

Well, that much was true, the Korean transfer supposed, but by not much. She was probably the only girl he willingly interacted, not to mention a foreigner whose culture somewhat appealed to him. Soo-Jin remembered the days when Murasakibara insisted that she should only speak in Korean as he tried to discern what she was saying. He failed, obviously, but the little experimenting and the way he amused himself was kind of endearing…

Gosh, what the heck? Did she seriously think that? This whole thing was getting to her head, and she needed to grasp onto reality fast. Okay, okay, so what if Murasakibara liked her? Pssh! Big deal! It wasn't as if he was going to be the only guy who will fall for her! Oh great, now she sounded arrogant.

Moving along: If Murasakibara really _did_ like her, what then? She couldn't picture the two of them together, frankly. He just wasn't her type. And, besides, not to be racist of anything, but she was pretty much expecting to end up with a Korean, or an American at least (if the chances were in her favor). Having a Japanese boyfriend sounded as realistic as having Santa Claus crash into her living room on a hot summer day.

Maybe, when the time came and Murasakibara mustered the courage to confess his love to her, she'll put him down gently. Soo-Jin snorted at herself. Put him down gently? Who knew what that big oaf would do if she rejected him. He might grab her head and bury her six feet under or misunderstand what she was saying and take it that they were now boyfriend and girlfriend. She wasn't sure whether to underestimate or overestimate her tall classmate.

Suddenly, she felt something softly hitting her head. Woken out of her stupor, Soo-Jin looked up, only to find Liu clicking his tongue in disinterest while lowering the rolled booklet in his hand

"Don't think too much on it—Murasakibara's a childish idiot. And, anyway, it's just a speculation. Himuro's the one who was insistent that he likes you."

"Right, right." But even that much was a plausible reason, there was a sinking feeling of discontent inside of her. She shook her head before ending up discovering what it could mean.

"Now, can we please focus on studying here? Need I remind you that this is all your benefit and not mine?" Liu sighed.

* * *

Day one started out just like the day before. Murasakibara ignoring her. It wasn't as bad as before…sort of. Soo-Jin tried her best to not let it get to her, especially after knowing that he may or may not have a crush on her.

* * *

Day two was when she decided to do a little experiment. She tried enticing him by waving Korean snacks in his face. His restraint was absolutely remarkable—she even got his favorite, Pepero.

* * *

Day three made her laugh. It had something to do with him, of course.

* * *

The rest of the days had gone just like that.

* * *

And, so, two weeks flew by. Just like that. There was one more week of school before the school was closed for summer vacation, and that one week was dedicated to exams.

Liu did a great job cramming as much information as he could inside Soo-Jin's empty skull. Her brain was swimming with a plethora of mixed information that all she worried about was how she was able to differentiate applying mathematical formulas or English grammar. No matter—she was going to do fine on this testing week.

(Liu once muttered a rhetorical question about how South Korean education system was supposed to be extremely competitive and serious. Soo-Jin, not registering the sardonic drawl, said that her mother wasn't a terror when it came to academics (sometimes) and that she usually did well in school back in Korea. The Chinese gave her a look of disbelief. Soo-Jin felt rather offended.)

Studying under the third-year wasn't the only thing that occurred over the past couple days. Souh (Meiko, as she insisted) and the other girls from before now began to approach her more and more, which was a pleasant surprise. They still weren't the best of friends, but, hey, better than being written off as a loner. That one girl, Aya, talked to her the most, second to Meiko. Predictably, she asked her about Korea—from culture to politics to (of course) K-pop bands. Soo-Jin didn't mind, and it was nice falling into a Korean conversation with Aya, or at least she tried to.

And, of course, there was Murasakibara. He still ignored her for whatever reasons.

She more or less became used to this. Alright, who was she kidding? It was awkward as heck, but what could she do? Go up to the great lug and demand what was the matter with him? She tried to get to him by offering him treats, for goodness sakes! Perhaps she should tempt the answer out of him by suggesting him to go on a date with her instead.

Ha! Sometimes she was just too much!

Soo-Jin smiled dryly to herself as the teacher began to pass out today's big test. She twirled the pencil in her hand as she glanced down at her desk. Math, huh? Darn it. She gave a small sideways glance over to where Murasakibara was and wondered how well he was going to do on his test.

* * *

She wasn't expecting this. Like, at all.

When the exam was over, the first thing that Murasakibara did was get up from his chair and drag her out the door. She could feel all eyes pinned on them.

She was too shocked to protest.

Some strange feeling churned inside of her. It was burning like a candle-lit flame—small yet bright; it was a familiar emotion that she would get whenever she and her friends would share one loud laugh together or when her mother had got her a dollhouse on her sixth Christmas. Soo-Jin couldn't quite place what that feeling was because it wasn't like the kind of excitement or happiness that she was used to. She mulled over this as she stared deeply at the long fingers wrapped around her arm.

Now, here they were, standing face to face, alone in the middle of an empty hallway. Her surroundings made her feel vulnerable, and her palms felt clammy. She idly wiped her hands on her skirt as she focused her eyes on his legs. Okay, so what was going to happen next? Was he going to confess his love to her? Or was he going to apologize for ignoring her _and then_ confess?

"I realized that I was wrong…"

The Korean transfer gave a small jolt. Murasakibara's mumble caught her off guard. "Um, what?"

"Last year, Mido-chin had a penpal from Korea. But, for some reason, she stopped sending him letters, and Mido-chin became depressed." He paused. "It was bad."

"O-oh." Mido-chin was a nickname for Midorima, Soo-Jin was aware. Hearing how her absence of responses delivered an uncomfortable sinking feeling in her stomach. Of course she didn't expect Shintaro to later shrug the issue off and casually take it as though people broke off ties all the time; she just couldn't imagine Shintaro being depressed—irritated and furious, perhaps, but definitely not depressed. Maybe…that was what he was feeling when he wrote _that_ letter…

"He still played okay during games, but he was pretty quiet and moody. Everyone in the team thought that this penpal either died or something, I dunno. But then...I later discover that _you're_ that penpal."

The way he said it sounded kind of…depreciatory. He reached over with one hand and grabbed her head, tilting it backwards so that she would meet with his darkly hooded eyes. For some reason, the sense of panic that began to flare was snuffed out. His grip pained a bit, but she knew that he wouldn't intentionally hurt her. Murasakibara wasn't the type who would hurt girls.

He leaned down, and their faces were close together. Her heart was beating faster and faster.

"When I realized that you were Mido-chin's penpal, I thought you were a deceiving person, but you didn't seem like it. I didn't know what to do so I called Aka-chin, and he asked me about you. When I was telling him, I then realized that you weren't a bad person at all. Soo-Jin-san is nice and quiet and fun… She's not mean or unreliable."

And then he said…

"So that's why I'll forgive Soo-Jin-san." He released her and patted her head. And left.

…

Wait…

What?

That was it?

The Korean transfer stared at where her classmate had left, feeling cheated. As bewildering and crazy as it was, it felt as though the whole thing came straight from a drama…but there was one missing major component: Where was the confession!? Wasn't Murasakibara going to spill out how much he was in love with her or something? What the heck was this?

Suddenly, Soo-Jin blanched. Could it be that Murasakibara wasn't in love with her _all along_? Slowly, the girl began to crumple into a ball, hugging her knees to her chest while feeling very stupid. How lucky she was not to try to tease him by asking him out on a date beforehand because the ordeal was too embarrassing to handle! With that in mind, she had something to say to her two upperclassmen…

Hold on a second.

_Who_ will forgive _who_!?

* * *

The end of the day concluded the end of today's exam. The third-years got up from their seats and stretched out their stiff limbs while chattering happily amongst themselves. Liu and Fukui, who sat next to each other, didn't follow the usual exchange between friends. They weren't friends, per se, as they had their own social circle outside of basketball, but they were satisfied indulging in a companionable silence as teammates.

That moment of peace broke when the door unexpectedly slammed open.

All heads turned to find Himuro standing behind the doorway, his posture emanating uncertainty.

Liu and Fukui looked at one another in mutual question. What was he doing here? Their answer was partially answered when they noticed a pair of arms shove him inside, Soo-Jin following after. The Chinese student stifled a sigh; he was starting to get an inkling that whatever involved the Korean transfer wasn't good. He decided to make a mental note of this premonition.

As Himuro walked, Soo-Jin shadowed him closely, nervousness and anxiousness evident on her face—it gave the two older boys an image of a duckling frantically keeping up with her mother. The second-year approached them awkwardly, yet managed to retain that natural charisma of his by smiling and addressing them politely. "Good afternoon, Liu-sempai, Fukui-sempai. I hope you did well on today's exam?"

"Went swimmingly," Fukui said dryly. "Gonna tell us what're you and she doing here?"

"Not a clue," Himuro returned, still smiling. "Won-san here was the one who brought me here."

"How was she able to locate our classroom?"

"The same way she found mine, I suppose—she asked."

His eyebrows rose. "She actually talked to people other than Murasakibara and Liu?"

"Sempai," he admonished.

"Well, you don't very well see the girl being your regular social butterfly, now do you?"

Himuro was about to open his mouth to retort, but then kept quiet. The older boy did have a point.

"Anyway," Liu intervened, "I do believe that talking about someone when she is within our presence is rude, don't you think?"

"I don't mind," Soo-Jin cut in hurriedly. "We go now!" The girl grabbed two fistfuls of Liu and Himuro's sleeves and made a dash for the door. Or, at least, she tried to. Probably forgetting the little detail of how Liu was well over six feet and both boys' weight combined couldn't be budged by a relatively short girl, Soo-Jin's efforts went wasted as her sudden burst of force made forward caused her to lose footing when the upperclassmen didn't move. She fell down face-flat.

"…Um, a bit excitable there, aren't we, Won-san?" Himuro picked the girl up by her arms and gestured with his head to Liu that they head outside now. Liu nodded in agreement, quickly gathered his things, and slung his schoolbag over his shoulder.

"See you at practice, Fukui-sempai," Himuro affably called out before dragging out the Korean transfer's lesser state.

Fukui grunted and plopped his chin into the palm of his hand. The poor girl, making a fool of herself before an entire class of third-years.


	20. Picture

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 20:** Picture

**NOTEWORTHY:** This is…an intermission. The bathroom is over there, and foods and drinks are over there.

* * *

The day after sending her letter, Soo-Jin regretted her decision. It was on the spur of the moment, having her mail flying overseas to Japan and to the hands of her penpal _with her picture in it_. Seriously, what was she thinking? _Nothing_—she wasn't thinking at all, that's what! Just what made her think sending a photo of her to Shintaro was such a good idea anyway? She didn't know much about him other than being a weirdo and a stickler.

But most importantly, he was a stranger. A _stranger_. A stranger who could do heinous things with her picture, like rob a bank while using her face as a cover-up or draw a mustache on her. Or something. Soo-Jin couldn't think of anything else past the robbing the bank part (her imagination was mediocre). Nevertheless, she had a feeling that sending her picture to her penpal was a bad idea.

That until she received his mail.

What was that about female intuition? That it's never wrong? Soo-Jin tested that theory more than enough times to have it be officially disapproved. She let female intuition scribble down whatever answers on the test sheet when she forgot to study the day before; she let female intuition make her tell her friend that she should get back together with her ex-boyfriend; she let female intuition convince her that the milk that she vaguely recalled sitting in the back of the fridge for the past two months wasn't expired.

Or it could be that her female intuition was as good as a retarded monkey caused by some sort of mutation during her mother's pregnancy; for all she knew, she probably had the same acuity of Charlie Sheen (or so internet informed her of him). That would explain why her test scores were dauntingly low, or why her friend contemplated on the meaning of life (which resulted her parents sending her off to a psychiatrist), or why she suffered from explosive diarrhea for two and a half hours straight.

Anyway, the point? Soo-Jin definitely misjudged Shintaro. Sure, there were plenty of middle school boys who did strange things, and her penpal could be one of them. But the weird sort he was placed in would be categorized as being outlandish as counting the number of grass stems growing in his yard. She really should ignore the little voice in her head whenever it prattled on and on.

Holding his letter, she could feel that the envelope was a bit heavier than usual. He either wrote her a three page long essay or sent her a picture of him. She really didn't think that he would do the latter until the contents fell onto the table. She was shocked that she ended up being _right_.

Soo-Jin grabbed the letter and very briefly scanned over what was written. Shintaro didn't write much like the few letters he wrote before. Her lips curved downwards at the amount, wondering if he was taking their exchange loosely (but, then, if he wanted to stop writing to her, he would've told her), but later they immediately quirked upwards after reading what it said.

Unconsciously, she raised her glasses higher on the bridge of her nose before making a grab for the picture. She always had a faint description of what Shintaro would look like in her head, but it was nothing like the real deal.

He was unexpectedly pretty.

Never did she imagine her thinking of a guy like that.

He wore glasses too, Soo-Jin thought absently. His expression was impassive, with his eyes appearing sharp and his mouth pulled into a thin line, which wasn't much of a surprise, frankly; from their mails, Shintaro never struck her as the smiley type. Although, his skin was clear, unlike the boys (and, yes, even the girls) in her class. She wondered how he never had a breakout when he had to juggle between basketball and schoolwork, unless he dealt with stress well; maybe he had this picture taken beforehand.

Soo-Jin noticed that she was observing the boy's picture for awhile. It wasn't like he was particularly handsome or anything...however… Her eyes were trained on the most salient feature: his eyelashes. They were so long! That was what made her think of Shintaro as pretty—he had the gaze of a solemn princess! _Those eyelashes_. Did he ever feel self-conscious of them? Did he ever think of trimming them?

Now that she stared at them for quite a long time, she saw that his eyes were rather long and narrow and clear—he had appealing eyes. And, although hidden behind a curtain of hair (why the heck did he had to have thick bangs), she could see that he had relatively thin eyebrows…almost as thin as a girl's plucked ones.

He…seriously had some princess genes in him.

Soo-Jin burst out laughing and dashed to her room. She eagerly threw a sheet of paper on her desk while she rummaged through her drawers to find a pen. And, then, she froze.

She shouldn't write to Shintaro about his eyelashes. They were treading on rocky waters already.

It was surprising to find that the boy had trusted her enough to send her a photo of him. Perhaps she had prompted him in doing so when she first sent him her picture. In a way, they were getting closer all because of this exchange. Nevertheless, she had to be careful; she knew that if she wrote to him about his princess genes, he would flip. Better think of an alternative…

Soo-Jin plopped down on her seat and crossed her arms, deliberating as to what she should write. She, without a doubt, just _had_ to put something relative to his face onto the paper. _She had to_; she wanted to. She _could_ compliment him? But that would sound like she would be flirting with him, and she didn't want that!

The girl sat there for a few minutes until her phone beeped, bringing her attention that someone texted her. Picking up the phone, Soo-Jin saw that it was one of her friends. Apparently, Yoon-Hee wanted her CD back.

I didn't even listen to it, thought Soo-Jin as she rummaged through her bag. She pulled out the CD and examined the front. The broad white title spelled out BEAST (1), and underneath it were the six band members. In right, she recognized Yong Jun-Hyung, the main rapper of the group. How did she know? Yoon-Hee made it her duty to fangirl about him at every opportunity she received.

Yong Jun-Hyung _was_ good-looking, Soo-Jin acceded, like every other pretty boy who got signed up for the music industry.

Then she was struck with an idea. She set the CD down and began writing her letter to Shintaro. He looked nothing like the rapper, but it's not like it would matter. He didn't seem the type who would have much interest in K-pop stars to look him up. All that mattered was that her letter was short and sweet and enough to momentarily grate his nerves (although it seemed like whatever she wrote to him annoyed him—what's up with that?)

* * *

Dear Won Soo-Jin,

You wear glasses. Interesting.

Very well, I will do the same.

Also, don't call me Taro-Taro.

From, Midorima Shintaro

* * *

Dear Shintaro,

Wow! Look at you! You look like Yong Jun-Hyung with glasses! I'll frame it.

With care,

Soo-Jin

* * *

(1): BEAST is an actual K-pop band.


	21. Realization

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 21:** Realization

**NOTE:** _Italicized_ speech is Korean.

**NOTE 2:** This isn't an intermission.

* * *

After composing herself, Soo-Jin took another moment to find the right words to say. In the end, she'll find out that there weren't any right words to begin with. Not with the topic that she was going to lead themselves into.

Himuro led them outside somewhere behind the school when she was unable to. It was perfect—no one could listen in to their conversation. It was the surroundings that she needed when she was going to spill her guts to Himuro and Liu.

Liu, who appeared to be a tad grumpier than usual, tapped his foot in impatience. "Well?" he said. "What is it that you've decided to summon us here for?"

Before she allowed whatever impulse that possessed her to blurt out whatever was haunting her mind this time, the girl stiffened in awareness and bit down her lower lip. It was all too rather ironic, once she thought about it. Shouldn't she be talking to this to the female acquaintances she made over the past couple of days instead of her _male_ upperclassmen? This was, after all, a girl talk.

But, then, it was them who brought her to the conclusion that Murasakibara probably liked her. Soo-Jin somewhat felt as though it was their responsibility to amend this—this—whatever this was. If they have never done such a thing, then her heart wouldn't be sinking in the first place. She wouldn't be thinking constantly about Murasakibara. She wouldn't be living such an uncomfortable high school life in friggin Japan.

Yet this wasn't really their fault, she thought about it objectively. They certainly didn't intend to do this to her—boys most likely didn't realize that a girl's mind could go for fifty miles per hour when the topic of crushes and love pop up.

So, then, now what?

"Won-san?"

She blinked out of her stupor. "I don't think he likes me," she blurted, her mouth somehow working without her brain.

"Who?" Liu frowned. "Murasakibara?"

She nodded.

There was silence, and then Himuro broke it by commenting reluctantly, "Yeah, we were afraid of that."

The expression on her face read shock. "You knew…?" And then she said, "You didn't tell me?"

"Well, we weren't exactly _sure_—"

"First off, how did you find out?" Liu cut in.

After telling them what happened, Himuro's expression shifted from mild surprise to intrigue. Liu remained blank-faced the whole time.

"So he forgave you? Interesting," the Chinese boy remarked.

"And just because he misread you," added Himuro. "I had no idea that you had a penpal, Won-san."

"Yeah, well." Soo-Jin was shrugging for the purpose of shrugging. "Now, about the assumptions of him liking me? Why aren't they true?" she chose to eloquently say to get things moving.

"About that… Why do you care so much? You never seemed to be fond of the idea that Murasakibara had feelings for you, so why now?" Liu questioned, crossing his arms. Himuro must have shared the same thought as his head bobbed slightly in a nodding motion.

The girl felt her neck itch. "Because…I do."

"What?"

"It's because…you make me think of it a lot. Yeah, Murasakaba is weirdo…and it make me uncomfortable." Why did it feel like she was lying through her teeth? It was getting hard to concentrate with the strange notion playing in her head that she was just making up excuses.

They seemed to buy it, nonetheless.

"It makes sense, I suppose," Himuro said.

"So…?" she prompted.

The two boys traded looks. "Well, we weren't wrong about him liking you, but we were perhaps wrong in what way," Himuro said. He rubbed his chin and tilted his head downwards, as though to try to contemplate carefully on his next words. "Atsushi may not like you romantically…"

"Then what?" she pressed. "What way does he like me?"

"Um…"

"He likes you like a pet," Liu reported calmly. And then, after a thoughtful pause, he added, "…Dog."

"Ack."

"Now, now… That may not be the most accurate explanation here…" Himuro rebuked mildly.

"The girl played fetch for Murasakibara until his hand healed. The idea may have been ingrained into that empty noggin of his," Liu said dryly.

The second-year shook his head. "Sempai, really?"

"If you got any better analogy, I'm willing to listen."

"Um…"

"Well?"

"Hold on, I'm thinking up something."

This…was something that Soo-Jin was not expecting, nor did she want it to happen. Was she nothing more than a—a—a _pet_ in the eyes of Murasakibara? Seriously? Just because she stood a few feet shorter than him could hardly equate her to a puppy!

The blow that the upperclassmen revealed to her caused the Korean transfer to get a recount on certain things. For one, she just had to accept that she wasn't desired by a guy and was probably regarded to be, by the general public most likely, an average face. Below average, Soo-Jin reconsidered, due to her small mono-lidded eyes behind her big clunky glasses (it was funny how she wasn't so self-conscious until now).

Maybe she should do what her aunt did and get plastic surgery. Hey, it's pretty popular back in Korea.

"It just made me realize how narrow-sighted I have become," Liu suddenly lamented. "I'm usually so observant; maybe I should give some distance between the idiots on the team and myself—I suspect they might be rubbing off on me."

"Don't worry, Liu-sempai," Himuro reassured. "I made the same speculation as well."

The third-year, aware that the other boy was sharper than those of his age, nodded in concurrence.

While the two made their exchange, something dawned upon Soo-Jin. Her eyes stretched wide and her face colored brightly to the point where one of the upperclassmen could mistake her having fever if they spared her a moment's pause from their conversation.

It was when she realized it.

It wasn't the kind of realization that came crashing down on her like a heavy brick that would cause her to gasp and her eyes to widen in shock; it came as subtle and slow, slinking in as though the thought just came from the backdoor of her mind to the front exit. Soo-Jin always knew it, but she didn't recognize it—or, rather, didn't want the truth to reveal itself to her. But now… But now it's not like she had much of a choice.

From the times when she would try to get his attention to the strange feeling she felt after being grabbed by him…

She had a problem: she may or may not have a crush on Murasakibara. Scratch that—she did like Murasakibara, and it _sucked_.


	22. Delusional

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 22:** Delusional

**NOTE 1:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech

**NOTE 2:** Midorima, Midorima, Midorima. Soo-Jin and Shintaro _are_ going to meet someday, but that'll come as a surprise.

* * *

Soo-Jin hated to admit it, but she was the kind of girl who easily liked someone if that someone liked her first. It wasn't as if she was deprived of attention and was desperate to get at least an ounce of it, but it was hard getting by as a loner. The girl wasn't a loner by definition; she just didn't go out of her way to socialize with others. Of course, she still made some friends. She had fun with her old friends back in Korea, but it wasn't enough. She desired something more, something intimate—she wanted a boyfriend.

Someone to cuddle up next to and hold hands with… Someone who made you smile as you share adoration for one another… Someone who'll then prop himself on one knee and present you a ring as he confess his undying love for you and how you were the most stunning and beautiful girl he ever laid his eyes on, unlike that pompous Lee Cho-Lee…

Just that special someone who she would be happy to be around with at all times, and vice-versa for him.

Unfortunately, she fell hard for such fantasy that she began to hold high expectations for whoever her dream guy was supposed to be (when she told her mother, the woman laughed at her face, telling her that such men existed in romantic fiction).

When thirteen-year-old Soo-Jin daydreamed herself sharing a kiss with her future boyfriend (who had to be totally handsome, intelligent, strong, and charming), never would one imagine the stark contrast when fifteen-year-old Soo-Jin stared at her current crush (who was lumpish, too tall, not so smart, and childish—_and Japanese_).

This, the Korean transfer decided, was those two meddling sunbaes' fault.

She once again became deluded, just like her thirteen-year-old self. The girl didn't see it coming, taking the upperclassmen's theory into fact, thinking that Murasakibara actually did like her. From seeing the boy's previous actions before his cold-shoulder routine as evidence, she managed to fool herself into imagining that he was _flirting_ with her. Ugh! Just what was she thinking? Was she even thinking at all…?

This was Murasakibara, after all! It was just what Liu had said—he was an idiot, a childish idiot! The big oaf probably couldn't discern the difference between platonic and romance—heck, did he even know the meaning of romance?

If that's the case, then why did she like him so much…?

Because she was delusional, that's why.

Lifting his head up, Murasakibara noticed the Korean transfer standing by the doorway. "Ohayo, Soo-Jin-san," he drawled, lazily holding a hand up in greeting. She stiffened in response.

Suddenly, she envisioned the two of them with a married future. Murasakibara was lying on the floor before the television, shoveling snacks into his mouth, while she, decked in a crumpled suit, was on her way to the company that she worked for, looking very exhausted and ruffled. And she was still stuck in Japan.

_No_! She didn't want that for her future! And she wanted to go back to Korea!

An image of their kid popped up in her head. The child took after the father.

Nooo!

"Oi, don't hold up a line!" groused a boy behind her. Soo-Jin stepped out of the way, yet couldn't bring herself to look at Murasakibara. She didn't think she could handle it, especially what would happen if she imagined her _mother_ finding out.

* * *

They stared at her.

"No, it's not like that," Soo-Jin denied anxiously.

"Won-san…" Himuro trailed. "Do you like Atsushi?"

The girl, unable to fight it anymore, covered her face with her hands, groaning.

"Oh wow, this is just too unexpected." The boy released an involuntary chuckle. "And too cute."

"You know, if you hadn't blushed and squeaked when your hand brushed against Murasakibara's, we wouldn't have come to this conclusion," Liu said reasonably.

"Which happened to be true," Himuro unnecessarily added.

Soo-Jin groaned even louder.

"Now it explains why you were so bothered when you found out that Atsushi didn't like you." The handsome sempai's eyes, if possible, happened to twinkle in amusement.

She needed a social circle that didn't include the basketball team. Where was Meiko? Where was Aya? She was more than happy to fill the girl's K-pop-stuffed brain with some more!

* * *

"Wait, so let me get this straight. You like _Murasakibara_?"

Curse Liu. Curse him to the high heavens. Curse Himuro too.

She couldn't believe that they told Fukui and Okamura. Seriously? _What was their deal_? Didn't they know that they weren't supposed to go around telling people the guy a girl liked? It was common sense! Well, to a girl, it was. And they weren't girls, so…

"You like _him_? Gosh, I had no idea that making you surrender yourself to a month worth of servitude would end up having some sort of psychological effect."

"Fukui, shut up," the gorilla sunbae groaned. "Everyone can fall in love whoever they like."

"Yeah, but who would love a guy who looks around thirty," muttered someone.

The gorilla sunbae immediately swiveled into the direction of the other boys and cried out tearfully, "I heard that!" Then he promptly hung his head and sulked.

"I've gotta admit, Murasakibara's kind of good-looking once you look at him at a certain angle," Fukui mused. He looked back at Soo-Jin. "I guess that's why you fell for him?"

She frowned. No, that wasn't why. She fell for him because she was delusional, that's why.

She wasn't blindsided to limit her choices to be only of the attractive category. Well, she wasn't _now_ (so what if her younger years were a bit...out there?). She even had a crush on the class's number one nerd back in middle school (that until she found out he was the peeping tom whenever the girls changed for gym; Soo-Jin brought justice on behalf of the girls by drawing on his face when she caught him sleeping, much to her friends' delight).

"It's not like that matters," Liu cut in. "The point is that Won-san here likes Murasakibara (for reasons I care not to know)."

"Are you saying that we should do something about this?" Himuro raised an eyebrow.

"Perhaps. It might be a nice pastime during the summer," the Chinese said, shrugging.

Feeling irritable by the turn of events (oh, so her love life was a pastime now?), Soo-Jin cleared her throat aloud and said, "I'm going back to class."

"Break's not over yet, Won-san," Liu pointed out, and he was being cheeky about it too (it wasn't apparent, but she _knew_ that he was deliberately pushing her buttons).

"I don't care," she tried to snap, but it came out sounding like a wail. Soo-Jin hurriedly retreated inside the classroom before any of the older students could say anything. Like insult her or something.

It felt like running away for some reason.

By the time she seated herself, she could feel all eyes on her. The Korean transfer tried to ignore the attention (which she didn't understand the root of it—it wasn't like she stabbed someone's hand again), but the end result was her blushing embarrassedly. It was the last day until summer and her feathers were already getting ruffled.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Meiko and Aya approaching her. "Ano, Won-san, are you all right?" Aya tentatively inquired.

"I am well," Soo-Jin responded in kind yet awkwadly. "Why?"

"Well, we saw you being pulled out by those sempais…and you later came back in looking frustrated," Meiko said. "We couldn't help but notice that they were the same guys who you often hang around with."

"Jinja (1)?" she deadpanned quietly to herself. Then, to the girls, she asked, "Is why everyone look at me?"

They blinked. "What are you talking about? No one was looking at you." For a good measure, Meiko briefly scanned the room.

Was she being paranoid? It seemed like it. She was getting too used to attracting an unwanted audience.

"By the way, where is Murasakibara-kun?" Aya curiously asked.

Soo-Jin automatically stiffened. "I don't know. Why would I know where he be at?" Her voice somehow gained a cracking pitch to it. Luckily, none of the girls noticed (so that meant that she didn't have to throw herself off a cliff).

"Didn't you two make up after your disagreement? Was it a disagreement?" Meiko frowned in confusion.

"Haruko-chan speculated that Murasakibara-kun was jealous from what we gathered from Won-san," Aya reminded her friend. She gave a small giggle and an apologetic smile to Soo-Jin.

"_The girl had brains of a pickled radish. There was no jealousy whatsoever_," sighed the Korean transfer.

"Eh? What was that, Won-san?" The long-haired pretty girl tilted her head slightly. "Mu (2)? Are you hungry?"

Soo-Jin didn't answer; all she did was laid her forehead against her desk and sulked.

Nooo! She was catching on!

* * *

(1): really

(2): pickled radish


	23. Summer

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 23:** Summer

**NOTE:** _Italicized_ is Korean speech

* * *

"What are you going to do over the summer, Won-san?"

It was the same question that Meiko asked her. Soo-Jin said that she didn't know, and then Meiko and Aya told her that they were thinking about going to the beach and the mall among other things. It was nice that they were taking a break from school and that they could do things that they normally couldn't because of school, but what could Soo-Jin do? Probably not much depending on what the Fujiokas' were planning. And it wasn't like she did anything other than lie in bed all day long during the summer back in Korea.

So she gave Himuro the same answer as she did with the girls. "I don't know."

"Ehhh," he said, sounding cheerful and disappointed at the same time. Sometimes, Himuro just amazed her like that. "Don't say that, Won-san! Aren't you thrilled that you're getting away from teachers droning out lessons and sticking your nose in study books?"

"We have summer homework," she pointed out.

"You also get to spend more time with your friends," Himuro continued, ignoring her fun-killing comment. "Say, I saw you talking to that group of girls earlier. They your friends?"

"Why are you talking to me," was what Soo-Jin wanted to say. Instead, she replied politely, "Kind of."

The smile the handsome sempai gave her was blindingly brilliant, that if she wasn't so depressingly head-over-heels in love with Murasakibara she might be reasonably head-over-heels in love with him. _Perhaps_. Maybe. Who knows. But Himuro didn't seem the type who would shower uncharacteristic affection to a girl like her, unlike Murasakibara (the romantically-retarded idiot), so maybe it was why Soo-Jin didn't fall for him before his unusually tall basketball teammate.

"That's better than having none," Himuro chirped. Soo-Jin wasn't sure if she heard his Japanese right, but it sounded unhelpfully reassuring, and that phrase didn't make much sense in her head the second time as it did the first. "Though I hope that you wouldn't mind hanging out with us."

She blinked. "Uh. Who?"

"The basketball team, of course! We were your first friends, after all, so it would make sense if you hang out with us."

Whoa there. What? "You're not my friends."

"Sure we are." His smile was still radiant. Her eyes were beginning to hurt. "In America, we have this saying for loners who are in denial…" And then he proceeded quoting something in English, but Soo-Jin was much too annoyed to bother listening. When did Himuro get this irksome? Was it when he found out that she liked Murasakibara? And to think that the older boy was starting to become her favorite person right after Liu.

Nearing the gates, Soo-Jin could see Takeru standing there, waiting. As if some miraculous blessing from the heavens, the girl didn't know. Ever since she convinced him that she could home by herself, Takeru gradually stopped walking her home. Why did he suddenly fall back into the old routine, she hadn't a clue, but it sure was one of those seldom moments where she couldn't be any happier having the solemn boy by her side (because without him, she had a feeling that it would be Himuro walking her home).

It wasn't that she had anything against Himuro. He was just starting to become rather…strange in a really annoying way. It was most definitely due to the Murasakibara-crush-thing, without a doubt—heck, the other basketball regulars were treating her differently when they first found out. She wondered how long it would be until one of them broke the news to Murasakibara and for her to jump off a cliff.

When they reached the gates, Takeru was watching them curiously. Himuro finally shut his mouth and looked at him and then back at Soo-Jin. "Oh, I remember you," Himuro said, breaking the moment's silence. "You are Won-san's host mother's son, right? Fujioka-kun? We met when Liu-sempai and I were visiting Won-san."

Takeru nodded slowly. "And you're…Won-san's classmate?"

Himuro released a chuckle that was quite pleasing to the ears. "Upperclassman," he corrected, "but I can see why you would say that." A cluster of girls walked past them and said goodbye to him, who responded in kind. He went back talking as though he was never interrupted. "I know Won-san here because she's the best friend of a basketball teammate who I am close with. Isn't that right, Won-san?"

What Won-san wanted to do was refute the "best friend" part of his sentence or tell him to go away, but when he's being this charismatically amiable, how could she? She could only utter out, "Sure."

As if reading her mind, Himuro smiled a hundred kilo-watt smile. Soo-Jin wanted sunglasses. And perhaps a windshield to ward off those attractive pheromones that the older boy was emanating. Gosh, it almost made up for the irritating habits that he unexpectedly adopted when he was walking her from her classroom to the gates.

"Uh," Soo-Jin said intelligently. "I'm go home now. With him," she added with careful emphasis, pointing at Takeru.

Two more girls said their farewells to Himuro. "Oh, okay," he said, turning back to them. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Fujioka-kun. See you later, Won-san!" With that said, he finally departed, but not without flashing them one more smile. Holy cow. Good grief.

There was a pause, and Takeru faced her.

"Was that—"

"No one," she cut in briskly. "No one. Nobody."

He gave her a look before shrugging. "Alright."

* * *

It was the first day of summer vacation, and what was she doing? Why, what most people with common-sense would do when they were given a whole month from school.

That's right—she was sleeping in.

The season's heat was taking a toll on her. She slept all the way till the afternoon, the digital clock perched on the desktop told her. Peeling the thin quilt off of her body, Soo-Jin then rolled off the futon and lied on the floorboards for a minute, trying to absorb as much coldness as she can. When the position was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, she forced herself to get up, but stilled when the pangs of wooziness hit her.

"_It's so_ _hot_…" Soo-Jin grumbled. She ambled inside the bathroom, and, after washing up and changing out of her pajamas, she headed down to the kitchen with her mind intent on grabbing some food.

She suddenly didn't feel so hungry anymore when she noticed that the Fujioka household had visitors.

"Hi, Won-san!" Himuro said, waving at her from where he was sitting. In fact, all of the basketball regulars were there, sitting at the table with cups of juice and plates of snacks and making themselves quite at home. Heck, _Murasakibara_ was there. The insides of her stomach performed odd flip-flops when his eyes landed on her.

"Soo-Jin-san, hello," Murasakibara drawled.

"He-hello," she automatically stuttered out, her face feeling hot. Just _what_ were they doing _here_? And why did those other two third-years come? She never even spoke a word to them before!

"Oh, you're awake, Won-san." Her host mother entered the living room from the kitchen, smiling warmly. "I was just catering to your friends here while you slept in. Lord knows how much rest you deserved after working so hard here in Japan. Though, I must say, Won-san is rather popular at school, isn't she? To have so many caring friends come over to see how she's doing?"

The word "friends" made her skin crawl. It felt like she was living in a lie. Her allegedly _friends_ were allowing the woman live in this lie, despite her shredding her kindness and hospitality to them. Soo-Jin hoped that they would drown in their guilt and rot in a hole.

"Why, of course, Fujioka-san," Himuro replied, putting his charms into action.

"These cakes are delicious!" the gorilla sunbae exclaimed. "Oi, Murasakibara! You have your own—don't steal mine!"

"But, sempai, I finished mine already," lamented Murasakibara.

While the boys were momentarily distracted, Soo-Jin quietly sidled next to her host mother. "Where is Takeru and…" What was the daughter's name…? "Kyoko?"

"They both went out, dear. My son had gone to hang out with his friends whereas my daughter had club activities."

Hmm, explained why it felt out of placed here.

"Why? Did you need to talk to them?" her host mother inquired.

She shook her head. "No, no, just wondering."

"Alright, then. I need to do some shopping, so I suppose that you can take care of your friends now? They are a handsome bunch, but they can certainly be a handful; I find it a mystery how you can manage all of them, Won-san," the woman said, giggling into her hand.

Whatever her host mother was implying, Soo-Jin didn't want to know.

When the woman left, the Korean transfer crawled over to where Liu was sitting (because it didn't look like she could get everyone's attention, not when Murasakibara began to attempt stealing all the other cakes). His chin was propped on the palm of his hand while looking bored out of his mind. Soo-Jin then slapped the upperclassman's shoulder, half-expecting him to turn his head and give her a deadpan glare.

What she did not expect was for him to jump in his seat and give a strangled choke that was supposedly a gasp. He twisted his torso, his eyes were wide in what Soo-Jin could read was shock, but she wasn't quite sure because they immediately shifted to an irate glower (whoa, scary).

"Good freaking—jeez, couldn't you walk up to someone like a normal person?" growled Liu. The Chinese boy was caught off guard, which was definitely a first for someone so calm and collected. First, Himuro was a cheerful pain in the neck, and now Liu was losing his touch? Everyone seemed to be missing a couple loose screws over this summer.

Her forehead creased. "Sorry, sorry," she apologized, holding her hands out in a placating manner.

"Just. What. What do you want?" he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Well now, someone's a bit cranky. Then again, when was Liu never cranky? Never ever, unless he was _crankier_, which was happening now.

"Uh, what you and they doing…here? Today? Why?"

"God knows why. I was here for the practice that was planned this afternoon, but instead I find myself dragged here. I wasn't even listening to whatever plan these pea-brains were coming up with." Liu sighed again and rubbed his face with both hands. "The coffee machine broke and my wallet was stolen," he added as a silent elucidation. Soo-Jin quickly nodded in understanding.

Explained _so_ much.

"I think my host mother let me make coffee. Want coffee?" Soo-Jin offered.

"Yeees," moaned Liu.

Soo-Jin never understood the addiction of the dark caffeinated drink that several people had (as it tasted like muddy acid that burned her tongue when she took her first sip), but knew that the powerful relationship between a person and his or her coffee should never be messed with. She once replaced her mother's usual brew with decaf to see if the woman would notice, and she did; her mother then threw the cup to the floor and did an impressive rendition of the American movie _The Hulk_.

Once the coffee was made, she poured a generous amount in the largest mug that she could find in the cupboards, and then carefully walked out of the kitchen and to the living room. She placed the mug on the table in front of Liu, who instantly wrapped his hands around the base and brought the rim to his lips. He released a grateful groan.

All eyes were pinned on Liu, and then were directed at the Korean transfer. "Hey, you're making Liu coffee? I want a cup too," said the gorilla sunbae.

"No coffee for you," Soo-Jin snapped. "Or anyone. Why everyone here?"

"We're visiting you, Won-san, as it is what friends do," Himuro chirped.

"Sempai, don't talk please."

Someone cough-snorted.

"Soo-Jin-san is pretty mean today," Murasakibara not-so quietly whispered.

Soo-Jin's ears burned at the comment, but didn't dwell on it. "So?" she prompted testily.

"It's what Himuro said," confirmed the boy who was normal in height. Fukui. He waved dismissively. "We're here to visit our Korean pal. There's all there is to it."

She frowned. "I don't even know you."

"_Well_. You don't know us _well_," he corrected, yet there was nothing to correct her by. "But don't worry; in time, we'll learn our favorite color and what we like to do in our pastime." The third-year's sarcasm was so thick, she wasn't sure whether he was joking or not. People often didn't mean what they say, but with Fukui she couldn't tell. "Also, we've managed to convince our coach to make you manager of the basketball team since you've hung around the court long enough."

Now, that last bit, she understood very well.

"What!" Soo-Jin cried.

"No need to thank us; we are your kind and thoughtful sempais, after all." Fukui then smiled brightly, but it was plain to see that it was faked.

Thank them? She wanted to strangle them!

"Isn't that great, Won-san? Now you get to be even closer with your _good friend_ Atsushi!" Himuro said, grinning.

Oh, goodness—did they think that…?

She didn't want to get closer to Murasakibara! In order to get over her delusional crush, she needed to set a distance between them, and that's just what the summer break was supposed to do! Just when she wasn't expecting to see him in one whole month, she was going to have to be with the boy the whole time?

Without a doubt, the upperclassmen were doing this for their own amusement!

"Soo-Jin-san is gonna be our manager?" Murasakibara remarked belatedly.

"That's right, Atsushi. Isn't it exciting?"

"We'll be here again," Fukui said. "Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, we'll take you out to show you the ropes."

Tomorrow…? First thing…in the _morning_?

And just when she thought she would be taking a break!


	24. Manager

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 24:** Manager

**NOTE 1:** "_Italicized"_ is Korean speech

**NOTE 2:** I've got myself a deviantart and drew Soo-Jin and Murasakibara! My word, drawing on a laptop pad is hard! sunnykong1210 . deviantart

* * *

Bleary-eyed and drowsy, Soo-Jin was not prepared for whatever plans the boys had in mind.

She was also rather ticked off. Most people who were dragged out of bed at an ungodly hour normally would be.

There was a chill in the air and the sky was a rainy gray; it was these traits that made early mornings so displeasing to Soo-Jin if the extra hours of sleep weren't an enough of an excuse. It still seemed baffling to her of how she was _required_ to be subjugated to this type of torture every four days a week. Four days a week for the school's basketball players to dedicate a good chunk of their summer break to training. It seemed excessive, but what did she know? She wasn't a sports junkie like how these boys appeared to be.

The coach, a lithe woman with sharp eyes and a sharper mouth, stood beside her. The boys running laps around the field were under her scrutiny, and Soo-Jin couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy; if that glare was set on her, she'd be running too.

The Korean transfer wasn't just sitting on her butt all day, watching the poor guys run around in circles. In order for her to familiarize with one of the mechanisms of manager-ing, the coach shoved a clipboard into her arms and made her go over the statistics of each player from the games he previously played in. The woman provided little to no explanation as to what Soo-Jin was specifically supposed to examine, but she was too afraid to ask; for the past two hours, all she did was stare blankly at the pages full of numbers and listed names. Was she expected to somehow register this whole manager business after being handed a clipboard?

The coach blew her whistle and called the boys over. Understandably weary, the boys dragged their feet over. Some collapsed and whined whereas others remained standing yet breathless all the same. Liu was flushed, sweaty, and panting, and yet he looked so darn cool while at it! Unlike the rest who couldn't possibly hope to reach his level of coolness.

And then there was Murasakibara.

"Take ten," the coach said, "then, afterwards, we're going to do a mock game."

After she dismissed them, the boys broke into a mass of chatter, laughter, and bicker. It was like watching a cluster of guys in her classroom goofing around during lunch period. How typical, of high school boys, that is. For some reason, it made Soo-Jin feel depressed. Was it because she had yet to befriend anyone (the basketball regulars _were not_ her friends)? Or was it because she was ostracized because she was different from the rest (out of fear)?

Well, it wasn't her fault that she had stabbed Murasakibara's hand! But, due to some misunderstanding, she was (_still_) regarded as the crazy Korean (who was possibly from the North).

"Oi! New manager!" Fukui, the prick who had the gall to drag her out of bed so freaking early in the morning, called out to her, waving languidly in the air. "Be a good manager and get me a water bottle, would ya?"

She wanted to tell him to get it himself (he had two functioning legs, after all), but it was hard to muster up a comeback when everyone was staring at her. Or maybe it was her paranoia kicking in again? Soo-Jin didn't really get a second to see if she was being crazy or not because the sempai kept yelling at her. She shook her head as her cheeks flamed in irritation and embarrassment, and she ambled over to the supplies that were laid out against the fence.

What was his problem? Sure, he hadn't done anything demeaning or wrong towards her, and she was pretty sure that she hadn't done anything in turn either, so perhaps being a jerk was just all part of his oh-so wonderful personality. He was probably the mastermind behind the group visit to the Fujioka's the other day! He seemed like the kind of prick who would do such a thing.

Trying to cut through the plastic packaging that contained the water bottles, Soo-Jin hadn't noticed a new presence that was standing behind her until he placed a hand on top of her head.

"Argh!" she yelped, jumping in fright.

"Ah, sorry, Soo-Jin-san," Murasakibara said, slowly withdrawing his hand.

Next to them was a group of boys. One of them cheekily called out, "Careful there, Murasakibara, you wouldn't want her to stab your hand again!" The boys around him laughed.

The Korean transfer silently huffed at their insolence and knelt back down. From the corner of her eye, she could see Murasakibara's big, lumbering form shrink down to imitate her squat. She couldn't help but blush at their proximity (he was smelly from perspiration, though), and once again she found herself internally cursing at Fukui (and Himuro and Liu, for a good measure).

Soo-Jin swallowed heavily as she tried to ignore him. If he wanted to say something, he would have said something by now; that was how it usually was, with Murasakibara placing himself at a position where all he had to do was mutter something because uttering words at a normal volume would be too much of an effort. Apparently. Or so she presumed.

She wouldn't dare jump to the conclusion that he would go through the greater effort of bringing himself down to her size just to be by her. _No way_. Her crush may have made her a certified idiot, but she wasn't _that_ stupid.

Soo-Jin managed to scissor through the plastic wrap by using the sharp edge of her thumbnail, and then pulled out a water bottle. Murasakibara didn't spoke a word for the past minute, just observed her hands doing their work. If she knew him well enough that she thought she did, then she handed him the bottle, assuming that he wanted one as well.

He glanced at the offered bottle, and then looked at her. "Open it?"

She stifled a sigh. Yet, of course, how could she even be bothered by his strange bouts of absolute laziness?

Doing as requested, she twisted the cap and presented the water. He accepted and took a sip.

"Anything else?"

"No."

She frowned. "You just want water?"

"No, but then I learned that I was actually really thirsty."

"Then…why are you here?"

"Fu-chin and Liu-chin told me to watch you."

Never had she felt a crashing weight of disappointment. Then she felt an even greater disappointment in feeling disappointed (she was trying to get over this crush, wasn't she?). Soo-Jin internally released a wretched sob before gracing Murasakibara a rather taut smile and standing up to leave.

When she returned to Fukui, she chucked a water bottle at his head. Much to her greatest disappointment, he caught it.

* * *

Soo-Jin sidled next to the coach's side and squeaked a hesitant, "Ano…"

The woman gave a hum of acknowledgement.

"Can I talk to you…?"

"Go ahead," she permitted.

"Eeeh…" How to say this considerately? Forget it—Soo-Jin was incapable of tact. "Me being manager is…wrong."

The coach now faced her, an eyebrow drawn upwards. "Oh?"

She gave a tiny nod. "Uh. Yes. Um. No, not wrong," she went on, her fingers twitching sporadically. "Not wrong… Mistake! Yes, yes, a mistake!"

"Are you telling me that you becoming a manager was a mistake?"

She nodded again, but this time a bit more eagerly. "Yes! Big mistake. I not be manager…"She paused for a moment, struggling to find the right words to convey what she meant. It was hard to when all her emotions were read in Korean in her mind, and now she had to articulate it all into Japanese. "I don't want to be manager. Mistake there is."

"Hm." The woman turned her attention back to the game that was playing before them. "Pity, but if you truly feel as though you cannot become the manager of the basketball team, then you'll have to consult with the principal."

"Th-the principal?" Soo-Jin parroted blankly.

"The forms were submitted to him before school was out for summer vacation. Unfortunately, he is out of town and won't return by the end of summer," she supplied.

"End of summer?" The Korean transfer couldn't bite down a wail. "Really?"

"Yes, really. Now, with that settled, since you'll be with the team for a month, I suggest that you start going over those statistics that I gave you." The woman's voice was as prickly as her sideways glance.

Soo-Jin recoiled. "Ah, yes, yes," she said hurriedly, and didn't wait a second to scurry away in fit of fright. "_Scary woman_," she muttered under her breath.

* * *

Since there was such a handful of boys in the basketball team, only a fraction can play at once. Meanwhile, Fukui, who was pulled out of the first play along with others for another group to take their place, dragged Soo-Jin with him to purchase juice from the convenience store. If anyone thought of it as odd, there was no comment. Or perhaps everyone already accepted that it was the manager's duty to be the team's gopher.

"But there is still water," she protested.

"Come on, some people don't want to drink something so plain-tasting after a good day's work," the older boy countered. Soo-Jin sensed that Fukui didn't care about his teammates' particular taste-buds and was just volunteering as an excuse.

Throughout the entire way there, neither of them spoke a word, nor did Fukui bother letting her go. He joked about making sure she wouldn't run away and didn't relent even when she promised that she wouldn't (besides, what point would there be in running?). When he didn't buy her assurances, Soo-Jin began to wonder just where did he—a background character in her life who somehow wormed his way into being something that of a meddling prick—fit in this picture of hers.

Even when they reached the store, he didn't release her arm until they were at the drink selection. She watched him open the fridge, feeling somewhat useless until he began depositing juice boxes in her arms. Now she felt annoyed that he was only carrying half of the weight that she was bearing. Wasn't it common courtesy for boys to take the larger load for girls? Or take the entire load? Was there such a thing as common courtesy here in Japan?

And then, out of the blue, Fukui brought up, "So, you and Murasakibara, huh?"

Soo-Jin blinked. "Um…"

"I don't think that you like him," he stated frankly and smoothly. Soo-Jin blinked again, very much taken back. "You think that you like him, but in actuality you just got caught up in whatever fantasy that Liu and Himuro came up with."

She frowned. Somehow, the word "fantasy" seemed to place a derogatory connotation towards her. It sounded like he was calling her an idiot. _Was_ he implying that she was an idiot? Even if she was (which was understandably probable), she didn't appreciate being called by one by the likes of him! Him—the short(est) basketball regular third-year who apparently had nothing better to do other than to make fun of her. He was nastier than Liu! Although Liu couldn't be labeled as nasty…

Maybe a standoffish jerk, but never a nasty guy.

"I know," she said with more bite than she would have preferred. Manifested irritation possessed a proclivity of sounding unconvincing—that, Soo-Jin knew well—and unconvinced was a look that Fukui was sporting at the moment.

"Mmhmm."

Her boiling temper seized her uncharacteristically. Perhaps it was the summer heat or that she was unceremoniously regarded as manager of the basketball team or how this upperclassman managed to get under her skin with that dubious expression of his (it was definitely that, by the way), but there was one thing for sure: her patience was thinning.

"No business of yours that is," she spat, not caring the poor grammar that tumbled out of her mouth.

He didn't blink at what she said, but she had a feeling that he was making fun of her silently. "Oh, but it is my business," Fukui returned nonchalantly.

He ambled right by and gestured after her. She seriously didn't want to, but what point was there standing around with a heavy armful of drinks (that he _really_ should have taken instead of her)? She reluctantly shuffled to the counter and spilled the drinks there. The employee up front listlessly ran the barcodes over the red scanner.

"How?" she demanded the older boy.

"What's that?"

"How business of yours?"

"Now, what business does that have with you?"

Throwing her words back at her? Well, two can play this game. "Because it is," she insisted.

"Hm," he hummed noncommittally while paying for the drinks with the money that his teammates gave him.

"Well?" she prompted impatiently.

"Well what?"

"_How_ business of yours?"

"And I ask what business does that have with you."

Aaaaaaaaargh, Soo-Jin screamed in her head. Aaaaaaaaaargh.

Unexpectedly, she felt a light pressure on her forehead. Fukui was frowning down at her and retracted his hand back to his side. "Stop furrowing your brows like that; you'll wrinkle prematurely." He sighed and rolled his eyes.  
"Relax, will you? I'm just teasing you."

The upperclassman took the plastic bags that held the drinks and made his way out the convenience store, not even waiting for her to catch up. Soo-Jin chased after him, her footsteps almost nipping at his ankles. A part of her wanted to flat-tire him out of vengeance (regardless how childish the action may be), but she decided against it; instead, one day, she'll catch him snoozing and draw obscene things on his face. With permanent marker.

"Geez, you'd think that hanging out with Liu and Himuro—and Murasakibara, of all people—would loosen you up, and yet here I have is an angry Korean who even tried to damage my face by throwing a bottle at me." He shook his head. "What? You don't like me or something?"

She shot him a look.

"Alright, I get it."

"So?" Soo-Jin tried again. With him being like this, maybe _now_ he would be willing to tell her why he made her accompany him. "Be honest, please."

"Be honest? Well, if we're to ever get to the end of my tale, then we might as well take our time getting back to the others. Anyway, I'm sure that you know that it's no secret to everyone that you were the one who rendered Murasakibara unable to play about a month ago, yeah?"

The Korean transfer pressed her lips to a thin line, but nodded.

"I'm not gonna lie—ever since that incident, having you around him changed Murasakibara. I heard that you two were close before, but we all watched you guys grow even closer, to become friends even. Murasakibara, in his own weird way, not like we expect him to be any other way, was happy, satisfied. It was like that even after his hand was healed, right? In any case, we all thought it might affect his playing on the court, but he was unmotivated as usual."

Once again, she found herself struggling with the onslaught of Japanese. As though they all expect her to understand that much. "So…you say that Musakaba like me as friend…but no good at playing?"

"Oh, he was good, alright, but he didn't play to the best of his ability."

"Ah," she said, nodding.

"And I'm sure that you were told about how he later became poor at playing afterwards when he was busy giving you the cold-shoulder."

"The what?"

"Ignoring you," he clarified.

"Ah, yes."

"Then Himuro and Liu visited you and explained the penpal incident to me and Okamura." Did those two disclose everything about her? That just pretty much strengthened her resolve for finding herself actual female friends, not those piss-poor confidants. "By the way, my arm's starting to get tired. Carry this." He swung one of the bags at her stomach, automatically making her arms fly up to catch the bundle.

"Urk," she grunted. Goodness, not a single propriety in his bone…!

"So, Coach Araki didn't like that," he continued, "and told us to do something about it since she knew that personally confronting him about it would do jack. After several failed attempts, we decided to dig into this penpal business. Initially, we surmised that he was getting green-eyed because he felt like he was vying for your attention against this Midorima guy, but when we had Himuro talk to him about it, we discovered that it wasn't jealousy."

"That it was because he thought me bad person because I forgot my penpal," Soo-Jin finished with a sigh. Her heart quivered at the memory of when she and Murasakibara were alone in an empty hallway, and standing right before him after all that time of being apart from him had made her feel light and fluttery. And then a metaphorical plane crash/terrorist bombing/World War III/whatever sounded in her head when she very much so recalled that Murasakibara didn't pull her out of the classroom to confess to her at all. He didn't even make a direct apology for being an immature git on that day too, she realized. What the heck.

Fukui looked down at her with a raised brow. "Yeah… How'd you know?"

"Murasaraba told me. On the day he…forgave me," Soo-Jin said stiffly.

He stared at her for a moment before shrugging. "If you say so," he drawled airily. "I'm guessing that's the day when he went back to his old self. In fact, ever since then, he's been playing with a little more effort, which is a lot considering what a colossal sloth he is. We don't even have to hear him making derisive comments about we're all useless without him. He's a changed man." At that last bit, Fukui laughed dryly.

"Um…"

"Coach wants to keep it like that; we all do, as a matter of fact. Coach then left me the responsibility to deal with the matter. She could have given it to Okamura, but she knew better; our captain's a great guy, but he can be the occasional idiot, so the task was undoubtedly left to me."

"You vice-captain?" Soo-Jin hazarded.

"That's right."

It took her a couple seconds to piece things together. "Ah! So reason why your business is?"

He grinned crookedly. "You're not so much of an airhead than I thought you were, Won-san. No offense."

Soo-Jin didn't know how to respond to that, so she didn't. Instead, she asked, "Then, to make Murasakaba good at basketball, you think me be manager? How?"

"He sees your friendship in a different light now that it's been renewed," he assumed wryly. "I don't know what's going on in that guy's head, but I'm assuming that it's that."

"Not because I like him?" she couldn't help but blurt.

"No. The others—and when I mean by others, I mostly mean Himuro—think that having you closer to Murasakibara is a cute idea, but setting you two up isn't the focus here."

"Erm, what?" Japanese slang? What? She didn't learn this back in middle school.

"You are manager to make Murasakibara better in playing, not to go on a date with him," Fukui revised.

The girl felt like she was being patronized, but she quelled any rising irritation. "Okay, then why you think I don't like him?"

"Because I can see it, and I just don't want you to get your hopes up." Not the kind of answer that she was expecting. Albeit, he didn't look like he was joking in the slightest. Was he serious? "And you admitting that you don't just confirmed it."

"Ah."

The two walked in mutual silence. They kept the unhurried pace, or, rather, Soo-Jin was matching her steps with her deliberately dawdling sunbae. Watching the way her steps shuffling to copy his slightly longer strides made her realize that this was the first time she ever engaged in a conversation with him, which was pretty something considering how she usually would have to share a moment's awkwardness before breaking the barrier to at least be able to converse comfortably for less than two minutes. While Himuro was a different case, him being outright friendly and gregarious, Fukui's first impression was incredibly poor.

Now that she thought about it, it was sort of funny how she was skeptical initially, and yet winded up listening to everything he had to say. Frankly, how he managed to pin down her perhaps not-so genuine crush on Murasakibara was quite impressive. In a _very_ histrionic way, she was trapped in awe of his startling acuity for being able to deduce it all correctly even when the info he received was limited.

Soo-Jin didn't like him, nonetheless. He was a jerk. If he really wanted her to become manager, he should have personally requested it politely instead of unexpectedly dumping it all on her. Not that she would take up the job either way, but it would've been nice if he treated her as though her opinions mattered.

No matter. By the time summer break ends, she was going straightly to the principal and have her forms shredded.

"By the way," Fukui suddenly said, "I've been wondering…"

"Hm?"

"What was it that Liu and Himuro said that made you interested in Murasakibara like that?"

"Aigo(1)," she sighed. There was no way she was going to tell him _that_. "I don't want to tell you."

"Now, Won-san, I'm the vice-captain and it's my duty—"

"Guh jyuh(2)," she grumbled before scowling at him and quickening her pace. Busybody upperclassman indeed.

* * *

(1): Oh dear/My goodness/Gosh/Geez/Oh brother

(2): Go away


	25. Violence

**Of Pocky and Pepero **

**SUMMARY:** A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC

* * *

**Chapter 25:** Violence

**NOTE 1:** "_Italicized"_ is Korean speech

**NOTE 2:** Soo-Jin's crush isn't considered to be genuine by her or Fukui because she liked Murasakibara solely by his attention on her, not for who he is. Reread the chapter _Delusional_ if puzzled.

* * *

"This really important for me to be manager?" Soo-Jin asked, starting to have reservations.

"Of course. How can we have a _basketball_ manager when she doesn't even know how to play the game?"

It had been at least a week since she became stuck with the basketball team. Fukui made her stay a bit unbearable (with his fabulous personality and all), and Murasakibara helped by just being there. It seriously made things go from bad to worse when the tall boy would occasionally peel off his shirt when he was too hot (oh, yes he was), revealing his long torso (hot, hot, hot) as the perspiration rolling off his skin made him glisten. Of course, modest little Soo-Jin would tear her stare away before getting a wanton eyeful.

She nearly went mad when, yesterday, Murasakibara happened to be wearing the turban headband that she gave him that one time ago. It may seem ridiculous, but with his hair out of the way, his gaze seemed to have that come-hither touch whenever he was playing, which only heightened that sex appeal only she was able to recognize (or only she was crazy enough to envision it on him). Perhaps her delusional crush may be changed to be closeted concupiscence.

Just _what_ would her mother think?

And just what was I thinking? Soo-Jin wondered herself. Murasakibara with bedroom eyes? Please.

At the moment, the team was taking a break. Fukui, all of a sudden, decided that it would be ingenius to show the manager how to play basketball, but she doubted that she was really required to know how to. Nevertheless, the older boy didn't let her go so easily—he even had to drag her out there. For a scrawny-looking guy, he was surprisingly strong. Soo-Jin even placed more resistance than when he forced her to accompany him to the convenience store to buy drinks, and yet he towed her around as if she weighed nothing.

"This is stupid," she protested, crossing her arms. Already she could tell that she and the sunbae had nearly everyone's rapt attention. She was confident that this wasn't all in her head. Subsequently, the Korean grimaced when she, from the corner of her eye, noticed two boys whispering to one another and indiscreetly pointing at her direction. She already had a bad reputation, so must she humiliate herself even further? "I don't want to do this."

"Quit complaining," Fukui said. He idly dribbled the ball, passing it from one hand to the other. "We aren't only going to work on your basketball skills, but your reflex skills."

"What?"

"You see, I've been noticing how easily jumpy you get. From what I've heard, you stabbed Murasakibara's hand with a pencil because you were startled."

Soo-Jin frowned. "What of it, then?" she prompted impatiently.

"Well, we can't have a manager who not only doesn't know how to play, but could potentially be a danger to us all."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Huh?"

"Let's say, for example, you were scribbling down something on a clipboard when a player comes up to you to ask for water. But, because you were so immersed in your bunny doodling, you were alarmed by his presence you didn't detect until afterwards. And, so, you've gone and stabbed the poor fellow, probably to death. With your pencil. Just like how you did to Murasakibara's hand."

She wasn't sure what she was more offended by: the fact that he assumed that she was too clueless to do any manager-ing (so, she, what, draw a rabbit?) or the fact that he characterized her as though she stabbed people as a hobby in that stupid example of his.

"I won't do that," Soo-Jin argued. "I'm not violent!"

"I never said that you were violent; you're just jumpy."

"I'm not."

Fukui rolled his eyes. "Then, let's test that, shall we?"

When Soo-Jin was younger, she had a friend whose classmate often had his arm in the air with a question already blurted. The inquiries that kid had swimming in his head, begging to be answered, eventually drove the teacher up the wall. The woman exclaimed, "Ask me no more stupid questions, you rude child!" The principal happened to be passing by and was shocked by the crude words that spilled out of the teacher's mouth. He had her fired, and then reassured the crying boy, "There is no such thing as a stupid question."

It was quite the scandal, with the teacher unprofessionally yelling at an elementary student, and the word of it spread throughout the school building and its neighborhood quickly. Soo-Jin recalled this memory after she asked, "Test what?"

It wasn't that the perpetually curious boy gave stupid questions, but that he asked them at wrong times. That was what Soo-Jin briefly reflected when she saw Fukui's eyes brighten in contrast to his empty expression.

"This," he said, giving the ball one last bounce before holding it with both hands. "Catch." Unexpectedly, he chucked the ball in her direction. Soo-Jin didn't react fast enough, her arms only going halfway up as the rough surface of the basketball _brutally_ smashed up against her nose.

It hurt like a mother.

"See, that's where we gotta stop and recount what you did wrong there." He tsked, shaking his head while slinging his hands behind his back. "You're not aware of your surroundings. Good thing you weren't armed with a pencil, though; you could've popped the ball."

Did he just—did he just _hit_ her? In the _face_?

Her hands flew up to her bruised nose, caressing it like how someone would do with Baby Jesus. Holy friggin cow—the pain! The agony! Was she bleeding? She was probably bleeding. She was probably going to bleed to death. That's right—death by blood loss. A groan escaped her lips as she collapsed onto her knees. The searing hot blacktop against her flesh was no match for the throbbing ache on her face.

_Why_ would he do such a thing?

"Stop being so dramatic," he said. "It's your fault for not catching the ball in time."

Oh, so now it was her fault.

Perhaps it was, for prompting him by asking that question. If she said, "No, thank you," instead, he might have responded, "Oh, come on," rather than chucking the ball at her. And, then, she would stick out her tongue and walk away, totally not having a moment of epic failure and being the clown in a cabaret for the boys who were very much so avidly watching. Where the heck was the coach? Oh, that's right, she had to change a tampon or something. You could always tell a woman's menstruating when she's moody. Or, in Coach Araki's case, moodier than usual.

She was definitely going to quit as manager by the time the principal returns.

"Dangsin micheossuhyo(1)?," Soo-Jin screamed at him. She had picked herself up, but her hands were still firmly pressed against her nose.

"Fukui, what on earth are you doing?" Running up behind was the gorilla sunbae.

"Just having some fun," the shorter boy answered dismissively, turning halfway to him.

Having some _fun_?

Lost in (justifiable) rage, Soo-Jin hurtled towards Fukui; she launched herself low and managed to deliver a head-butt right into his gut. Fukui released a wheeze and landed on his rear end, and then cried out, "Ow! The ground sucker-punched my tailbone!"

She let go of her nose and ignored the sharp stinging as she reached for the basketball and threw it down hard on his head. Unfortunately, however, the ball bounced off of his skull and vaulted heavenwards, attacking her face once more. The unlucky girl gave a shriek, unable to shield herself in time, and then stumbled backwards. Because she was so darn clumsy, Soo-Jin tripped over a pebble and fell.

The collision the ground and her head made was what someone would metaphorically describe it to be clouting a watermelon with a baseball bat…or something to do with a crash and a bash and a smash and an ouch. Needless to say, Soo-Jin was knocked out cold.

At an ever convenient time, the coach arrived. On the court, the woman saw this: the manager was on her back, as dead as any unconscious person would be, and the vice-captain did a pitiable imitation of Michael Jackson's worm dance (albeit, it was apparent that he wasn't trying to _dance_).

"Alright," the coach said, turning to the team. "Can anyone care to explain what just happened?"

"Vice-cap really ought to stop teasing the Korean," called out someone.

* * *

(1): Are you crazy?


End file.
